My Year: Jentrospective 2006

January 06:
Saw Paul Revere and the Raiders in concert
I got my teeth whitened after several painful procedures. They are still doing okay but they don’t blind anyone.
I read James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces and the day I finished it, the scandal broke.
My cell phone was tossed in the toilet.

February 06:
I joined Myspace and learned how to spy on my students.
I learned studentspeak: “Bubbleguts” and “You look so contagious”

March 06:
Went to my first real rock and roll concert: Motley Crue in Huntsville
Chris realized one of his peers from high school was killed by his wife (the minister murder)

April 06:
I attended prom again this year: On the Wings of Love with my English teacher pals. We had a great time and I got drunk. Had to get a ride home from the special education teacher, which was very appropriate.
Stella moved on to a new home.
We met Crystal, Tanner’s now fiance.
We were part of Jennie and Dan’s wedding in Rosemary Beach and it was beautiful.

May 06:
We sold the Honda and bought a truck.
I read and liked Freakanomics
We overhauled the front yard with the help of Chris’s dad and the neighbor across the street (we used his huge truck to pull out a lot of the stumps.)We also brought forth a geyser.
I actually took part in graduation ceremonies with my seniors and I cried happy tears.
I toyed with the idea of teaching summer school and then decided not to.

June 06:
I lost a former student in a drunk driving accident.
I finally concede that denim shorts are not in style and that I’ve been wearing the wrong socks (aka scrunchy socks).
We went to Destin, Florida with Meg, Casey and Dylan and we had a great time except for that one night with no a/c and power.
I joined Freecycle and it’s been a good thing.
Luke and I discovered the Noggin channel.
We dealt with a rat problem.

July 06:
I once again hated the 4th of July.
My next door neighbor Mrs. T died. Her husband begins round the clock care.
I read A Tale of Two Cities and LOVED IT!
We joined the YMCA
I spent a week in Warner Robbins and hated it.

August 06
My Montero’s battery died outside Walmart and it sucked.
I learned what krumping is.
I did a rope course with coworkers.
Went to Poison/Cinderella concert in B’ham.
Former student from AHS committed suicide.
Granny Jones was diagnosed with lung cancer and died weeks later.

September 06:
Taught Gardner’s Grendel for the first time.
Read Burroughs’ Magical Thinking and liked it a lot.
Cellphone ruined because of milk.
The AC went out.
I thought I was pregnant.

October 06:
We had LOTS of car problems.
I’m sick a lot.
I got pregnant after realizing I wanted to be and I wasn't getting any younger.

November 06:
Read Running with Scissors and hated it.
We took Luke to his first AU game.
I became obsessed with Slater, aka Mario Lopez.

December 06:
I had nausea the whole damn month.
Five goldfish were murdered by Theo the cat.
Chris used the lady’s restroom at Whataburger on accident.
Loved Scott Smith’s The Ruins. You must read this. Delicious.

Some stuff and a question

Today was a big day for Luke. He got his official big boy bed. We finally decided to go ahead and buy Luke a twin mattress to go with the bed frame I used to use as a kid. We decked it out with Thomas the train pillowcases, sheets, and comforter and he is so thrilled. He took his nap in it willingly this afternoon which thrilled US. (Photo not of his room. Ha. Like it's that clean and free of toys/debris.)

We spent the day watching the Bravo marathon of Friday Night Lights (an awesome show I'm glad I gave a chance) and sitting around being sick. I have a stuffed up nose, cough and icky feeling. Chris has a back problem, fever, and stuffed up nose too. Luke, of course, is taking an antibiotic to get rid of an ear infection. We are just spectacular over here, I tell you.

Last night we watched Little Miss Sunshine. It was pretty good, but sure enough depressing in a few spots. I liked the grandfather and of course the teen son and Olive the dancing "beauty queen". Tonight we plan on watching The Descent cuz we wanna get scared. Reading The Ruins wasn't enough for me, I guess. (I had a nightmare last night based on that book.) I'm trying to push it on Chris and he has read the first few pages so we'll see if he gets hooked. If he doesn't, KC if you want to read it I'll bring it to you next week.

We got rid of our Christmas tree today. As it was hauled out by Chris, pine needles exploding all over the living room (thank God for hardwood floors), Luke said, "Bye bye tree." An hour later, he asked me, "Where did the tree go? I want back!"

He spent the next half hour breaking a couple of the nutcrackers that were waiting to be packed up. "I broke crackers!"

Okay, a question for you guys: What tv show, book, or movie have I GOT to watch in the next few months? What am I missing out on?

My predictions for 06 WERE

I will bold those items that came true.

1. Britney and K-fed divorce. I know, I'm going out on a limb here.2. A friend of mine with a blog will get married. ;)3. We will travel more.4. Eminem will either get beaten to death or will die in a freak accident.5. A friend will get pregnant and have a girl.6. Katie Holmes will not have a silent birth. It will be loud and very very scary. Watch out, Katie!

Here are the resolutions for 2006.
1. Chris and I both will watch our weight and we will both lose some weight (I'd like to lose an additional five) and firm up.2. I will keep a cleaner, more organized house. I actually have come a long way. Each month, I get better. I should be spectacular by the time I'm forty.3. I will continue staying away from negative people who drain me of all good juju. Also, I will allow those who are drifting away from me to drift. 4. I will stop trying to be nice to Omarosa because she sucks.5. I will buy at least one new white fluffy towel.6. I will visit Kristy C's church at least once.7. I will hang out with my "girlfriends" more. Hear that, girls? No more excuses!8. I will try not to have bad hair and I will slather on the makeup, cuz I'm getting old. 9. I will try to use the word "delicious" more, because really....it is a very delicious word.10. I will remember YOUR birthday.

Almost done with The Ruins! I've been reading it so fast I feel like I'm running. It was the same way with Scott Smith's last novel I read---A Simple Plan. I hope the ending doesn't disappoint. Chris keeps making fun of me, because every time he turns around, I've got my face in the book. Brendon and Max--I can't wait to send a few emails your way or read the spoiling comments on your page M, when I'm finished.

I'm officially sick. Woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and my nose is clogged. Nice. Especially nice is the fact that when you are pregnant, a lot of medicine is off limits to you.

Jasmine!

Happy birthday to my longtime pal Jasmine!!!
Pics are from 1988 (16 years old) and 2001 (29 years old)

And...We're back (disjointed ramblings as I try to get back in the groove of things)

We're back from Decatur. Rolled in this afternoon. Luke got quite a haul. A rocking horse that makes real horse noises from Papa and Mimi. Here's a pic. Luke's cousin Dylan got one too. They sat side by side on them while they watched Toy Story 2 in the playroom and they "raced" each other. Too cute.
The other big gift was the train table. Our bud Jennie gave us a huge boxful of brio wooden tracks that are compatible with Thomas the Train stuff and lots of other cool train stuff. That was a big hit. We had to set it back up as soon as we got in the door because the boy wouldn't let up. Right now he's running around the house terrorizing Reggie/Freggie the cat, yelling "Heeeee YAH!"
He also got a Diego tricycle from Pawpaw and Bobbie--he calls it his "CYCLE!!!" He got too much other stuff and now I'm wondering what I'm gonna do with it all. I need to go through a bunch of stuff and put it up in the attic for the next 'un.

Christmas brought a migraine for me--literally---on Christmas Eve I woke up in the most pain--I could barely move because it hurt to move. Guess it's pregnancy related. Then Luke got an ear infection and we spent the day after Christmas in a Decatur doc-in-a-box. Then Chris's back went out. I'm about to take him to another doc-in-a-box.

I'm immersed in my latest book purchase---The Ruins by Scott Smith. So far I am loving it. (PS Thanks Dad and Donna for my Books-a-million gift cards!)

It was so good seeing Chris's family again. I always have such a good time with them--I know a lot of people can't say that about their inlaws and I know I'm very lucky.

Hope everybody is well and I'll hear from you all again real soon as people come out of the post Christmas funk.

Merry Christmas Y'all! (Yes, I know Luke has weird hair in this pic, but I'm so rarely in a shot I had to use it.)

Hope you and yours have a great Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!

Thanks for reading me! :)

I'm tired of the Target and Macy's Christmas commercials. I'm starting to hate them. All the dancing and frollicking around. Give me a break.

Luke is sick this morning. No throwing up, just fever, which is surprising and also bad timing, of course. He's sleeping off his fever on the couch as I type.

Tonight my parents are coming over for our Christmas with them. Chris is cooking his delicious ham with cherries and pineapple. Yum. For my part, I bought a pecan pie.

Speaking of food...here's what I've been digging lately that's normally not my thing: mint chocolate chip ice cream, apples with peanut butter, peanuts in general, really cold lemonade, Capn Crunch with crunchberries (this urge hit me last night--don't know what that's all about--I haven't had it in years), and eggs.

I haven't had to move into maternity clothes yet, but I bet January will see that happen. I'm really dreading giving up my favorite Gap jeans, but I swear, I'm gonna order some Gap maternity jeans or Old Navy maternity jeans this go around because I was looking at my former maternity jeans and they are like...fake jeans. Ew. What was I thinking? I guess I was just desperate. I would like to get one of those long cardigan things that tie in the front (over a bump). I think I'd like that.

Do you ever wonder about stupid things like this? I've been wondering about the family dynamic between Nicole Kidman and her adopted daughter Isabella. Like, are they really close? What do they talk about? Do they make fun of Katie? Does Nicole really hurt over the fact that she didn't have Tom's baby? Stupid waste of time thinking about dumb stuff like this...

A Story from Chris

So, I meet my wife at Whataburger for lunch. As I am waiting on our food I decided to go in the restroom and wash up.There was something peculiar about this restroom. I immediately noticed there were no urinals, but I didn't care. I admired the unusual cleanliness and order this bathroom seemed to be in.Anyway, there were three stalls and two were occupied. I took residence in the available stall to the far right. At this point the beer and pizza from last night was talking so instead of peeing I thought, "let's get it on". I did my business and proceeded to the sink.As I am standing at the sink a person entered the restroom. It was a female and she seemed startled to see a man. I was equally startled but I thought, "what a frigging idiot" to myself as I finished washing my hands.Both stall doors open and a woman stepped out of each. It dawned on me that I was the jackass.I said DAMN IM SORRY and exited the restroom before I ran the risk of being pepper sprayed. As the door shut behind me I heard a very high pitched, but raucous laughter coming from the restroom.If you hear about the guy who went into the women's restroom at Whataburger in Montgomery, AL and proceeded to take a slam in the presence of other women, I am the guy.

Another Christmas pic for you. From the photo session with the boys for Christmas cards. That's Dylan, his cousin, trying to take control of the car. :) I love Luke's little white foot here.

So the Duke case is falling apart. Suddenly she's not sure that she can be certain that she was raped...I hope those players sue her and everyone involved for the emotional stress they've been through--reputations ruined, etc. Ugh.

Chris and I have been laughing over the Trump/Rosie thing. I can't believe some of the things Trump is saying on air. We are like, "Oh no, he didn't just say that."

Was sick again last night and this morning. Fun fun. Merry Christmas--from the peanut.

I really am at a loss with names. I like Owen but Luke and Owen is all "Wilson brothers", I like Noah, but I know of another pair of bros named Luke and Noah, I like Luke and Jesse, but that's too Dukes of Hazzard...as for girl names, I am just not in love with any of 'em. Too cutesy or too plain...

Luke's been saying "Oh Dear!" this morning. I've never heard him say this before. I guess he picked that up from his caregiver, Miss Pam. It's funny. "Oh dear! Oh gosh! Oh mannnnnn!"

Number Two

Well look at that! That's the first ultrasound of our second offspring! The technician measured from the "crown to the rump" to see exactly how far along I'm measuring. They said 9 weeks, instead of our assumed 10 weeks. Whatever. Then we (Chris came too) headed upstairs to talk with the doc, who is figuring on a c-section (and tubal! 2 in 1!) on July 20. That's one day after our anniversary. Cool. Anyway. There it is. Our little boy/girl in its little cave inside my body. The thing floating above it is part of the cord, just fyi.

PS: I've already started thinking of names, but nothing is clicking. Anybody got any suggestions?

A Christmas surprise! Came home to an Amazon package. Wondered, "Hmm. What is this?" Opened it up. Lisa M--you are awesome. She sent Love that Dog by Sharon Creech. I'm reading it right now. Loving the allusions to other poems like "The Red Wheelbarrow."

Crocodile Hunter with Ross the Intern

This makes me miss Steve Irwin a lot. Crikey. Thanks to my father-in-law for the link.

Breaking News.

Today was the last day of school until January 2. Yeah, teachers go back the day after hangover day. Nice! Students come back on the 3rd. Every year, they chop off more of our days. Soon we'll have year round school...sigh.

After my exams were over, graded, and put in the computer, I headed out to meet Chris for lunch. It was nice eating lunch out with adults and without any bells sounding telling us to move along. :) I am always amazed when I go out and see how the rest of the world lives...

Still bummed about the Mt. Hood situation. I really need to stop watching, but I can't turn away. Wish real life was like tv---have a nice conclusion to the Holloway case, this case, sigh..the OJ stuff. Maybe one day. ATTENTION: I would like to say to the media---saying that there is breaking news on Mt. Hood and then saying "the search has been called off" is NOT BREAKING NEWS. Breaking News is...we found a body. Geez.

I'd like to send a special shout out to the teenage girl who jumped in front of my Target shopping cart this afternoon and announced to her mother, "I'll get there eventually if I don't get run over." (As if this was my fault---you jumped in front of me, moron.)
Also on my "I'm giving you the finger" list: the old lady who cut me off as I tried to LEAVE the parking lot, the old man who was like VISA--he was everywhere I wanted to be, and the little girl who wouldn't get out of my way and was begging to be run over with her Spiderman pillow.

I think I'm done with my Christmas shopping. At this rate, I'd better be. I don't think I can take much more.

A truckload of Luke Mini-Stories

Story one:
Chris will sing, "You...You Got What I Need..." (song from the 90s) and Luke will sing with him. It's perfect.
Chris: "You..."
Luke: "You..."
Chris: "You got what I needdddddddddddddd...."
Luke: "Neeeeeeeed..."

Story two:
Jennie gave me PJ's old bear head on a stick the other day---like a horse head on a stick, but a bear. I put it in the corner of Luke's room while he was gone to my parents and when he came home I put him in bed. Five minutes later we hear him trotting down the hallway, holding up the bear head on the stick like a Lord of the Flies kid and the pig head. He later made me put it in the crib with him. An hour later I removed it--he had the head next to his and was clutching the stick.

Story three:
Continuing the Lord of the Flies allusions, I was outside blowing leaves out of the yard with Luke when he and I saw Reggie the cat appear around my parked car. Luke stopped, turned, pointed and shouted, "FREGGIE!" and dashed over to him. Totally reminded me of the beach scene when the kids stopped doing their crazy dance, pointed, yelled, "THE BEAST" and then pursued poor Simon.

Story four:
Luke calls Santa Clause, "Saws!"

The Hikers

I'm totally hooked on all the coverage of this story. I hope the other two are okay. So scary and sad. I keep doing "magical thinking" that they will be found okay. I know they didn't mean to get lost and stuck and all, butI still don't understand why anyone would want to go out and climb anything, especially in the cold, but everyone's got their thing.

Book questions

I've felt a real pull this week to re-read The Secret History. Maybe it's the chilly weather, I don't know. If you haven't read this one yet, ask for it for Christmas. It's a good one.

I still have The Secret Friend on my bookshelf. I started it a few years ago and got bored. Should I give it another try, those of you who have read it?

I'm almost done with Dry by Augusten Burroughs. I'm ready for a break from this guy, although Dry was better than RWS. My father-in-law asked me what it was about. "Uh, a funny look at re-hab..." was my reply. I realized how stupid it sounded when I said it out loud. Ha.

Anyone read The Kite Runner? I have a copy but haven't read it yet.

Ah, A Husband's Perspective on a Classic.

One of my favorite "holiday" songs-Dan Fogelberg's "Same Auld Lang Syne"--the holiday song that is sad sad sad, but also...heart warming! Chris just walked by and heard me listening to it.

"If I ever find out you are sitting in the grocery store parking lot with ZF drinking beer on Christmas Eve instead of here with me, I am gonna ask what the hell you're doing! Then, when I ask you, if you say you dropped your purse in the grocery store and you guys laughed until you cried, I'm gonna say get your ass out of that car."

Poetry Reading Tonight

Be there or be square.
Come meet some of my lovely children and enjoy some coffee. My co-worker Kristy and I will be there with our husbands as well.

Seven o'clock to eight. Village Coffee.

PS: Two good days! No nausea!!!

Happy birthday Kristy!

A huge happy birthday for my friend Kristy C! Ever since she came to work at LHS, she has been a bright spot. We love her! She is a sassy sassy gal who has gotten me hooked on Grey's Anatomy and so many other cool things. We also shared our pain and frustration over the James Frey crap last year as well as this week's new topic--did Augusten Burroughs lie about the "Finch" family in his novel Running with Scissors?

She also puts up with listening to my boring stories and complaints day after day. And that's really more than anyone should have to bear. So let's hear it for Kristy! Happy 28th bday!

Ready for the break.

I'm ready for my Christmas break... however, I have so much to do before then--get all my exams typed and copied, grade them, blah blah blah. I did get all my Christmas cards out during the past couple of days though. Today, after a painful teacher workshop at a local college (Powerpoint--need I say more?) I stood in line for about 45 minutes at the post office to get stamps and to mail my sister's family their Christmas presents. I brought a magazine with me because I knew it would be a waiting game. I stood there reading Time, specifically about the Russian spy who got poisoned, when I heard a lady say something to the lady behind me.
"Excuse me, you wouldn't mind if I got back where I was, would you?"
I'm thinking, I didn't see you back there. I keep out of it though.
The lady, a Middle-east looking woman, said in broken English, "You were not here."
I watch them out of the corner of my eye.
The other lady walked to the back of the line. I pondered this.
The foreign looking lady said to me, "She was not here. If she had been, she wouldn't have walked back there so fast."
Touche' I thought and smiled. I wondered if the line cutter was trying to get one over on the "OTHER" in line. Who knows? Whatcha think?

Feeling a lot better today. Not myself yet, but better. I ate too much at lunch during our much needed break from the Power Point Presentation From Hell and I paid for that one--queasiness for a couple of hours, but I just feel tired now.

*****
Two things from students:
"She's a straight up 304." Means she's a straight up HOE because if you put 304 in a calculator and turn it upside down it looks like HOE.

I asked them if they ever went driving around looking at Christmas lights.
"Naw, Mrs. C. I don't have the gas money for that!"
Sign of the times.

arghhhhh

Taking a break from sickness to post. Somehow it feels better to share my misery. Home again from work. After I throw up I feel better for an hour or so, then it starts again. This is SO a girl. A girl who is kicking my ass now and will for the next 20 something years.

I spent the last hour watching the Dawson's Creek episode where Jen dies and has to leave her baby here without her. I bout cried my eyes out. Never seen that one before. Holy crap.

They really know how to pull your strings on that show.

I stole the picture from here.

Luke's first masterpiece

I asked him what it was and he said, "A tree."

How right he is. A tree. (After a hurricane?)

Happy birthday

to my wonderful husband Chris! He's 32 today! I made a cake for him (even though it looked kind of sad) and we played Trivial Pursuit---Totally 80s with my parents after a dinner of hotdogs! Whoo buddy! We know how to party don't we? :)

Happy birthday baby!

Don't read if you have a nervous stomach.

What a strange weekend it has been. Saturday morning I woke up to two dead goldfish on the floor, one swimming in the bowl, and one unaccounted for. Then I looked over and saw that Theo, the "hunter" cat, was lounging on the couch...licking his paws. Oh boy. Disgusting. We didn't know he had stayed inside overnight, but I guess the cold weather made him hide inside after his dinner of Meow Mix. Then of course, he had fish for dessert.

We put him out but the last fish somehow died of a lonely heart in the bowl this morning. I was getting tired of cleaning out that fishbowl anyway...poor fish, though.

After discovering the fish murders yesterday morning I realized I felt worse than normal and threw up. That led me to feeling a bit better and I thought I could face the crowds out shopping for Christmas. I headed out with Luke. I did okay at Wal-mart, but started feeling kinda rough towards the end. The kind of sick where you can't even really focus on other people's eyes. Does that make sense?

So I went by my Mom and Dad's house (close by Wal-mart) and threw up there. Rested for a while, then felt okay. Then (shut up) tried to get some stuff done at Target. (I am so behind y'all, I don't even have Christmas cards ready at all.) Well I felt worse there and the crowds were enough to make me throw up, but I managed not to.

I had to get Mom and Dad to drive me and Luke home a couple of hours later because I didn't have the energy to drive. I was kind of scared.

Got home, Chris had gotten the bedroom and bathroom clean for me and I promptly puked for the third time. Disgusting.

I still don't feel right. This has to be something other than normal nausea. I must have picked up the bug that Luke had a few days ago. This sucks.

Tip of the Day

Don't eat a Sonic cheeseburger with lots of onions. I can't get rid of the taste or the smell emanating from my mouth. Oh my gosh.

Also---another free tip for you: when your kid gets a certain look in his/her eye, MOVE quickly. That way you can avoid the Exorcist explosion of vomit.

Enjoy!

Club T-shirt

Check it out! Kids voted on it. I think it's awesome. We got it from Imagemarket T-shirts.

All you old schoolers can relax now. ;)

Well it's official. I finally got in to see my ob/gyn today and yes, I'm pregnant. Like I knew. With this nausea, I was either pregnant or dying. Due date around July 14. Here's a pic I found online of a bambino at 8 weeks. Pretty cool, huh?

Glass

I did a very Mom thing today--I had to get tweezers and get a tiny sliver out of Luke's little foot. I'd never done this before. He broke a glass when I stepped out of the room for a MINUTE and when I got back, he told me, "I broke glass" and pointed. He had been trying to get into my grapes inside the glass. Darn hardwood floors.

I was nervous when I made him lay back and I took his little white foot in my hand. Running my hand over his foot, I could feel the tiny sliver poking up and a little bit of blood was there. I squeezed it, he whimpered,and then said, "No Mama!" Then I managed to GET IT! I was so proud of myself.

"I got it!" I exclaimed and squeezed his foot again. He smiled. "Mama fixed."

Oh my heart.

Nausea sucks. That is all.

Yellow Wiggle..Adios.

Bye bye Greg.

More from his first tailgate...

There are so many funny things about these pics. One is, of course, how NONthrilled Luke and his cousin Addison look to be posing for a picture together. Another thing is how funny Luke looks when he fell down trying to get Uncle Dave. The funniest thing to me is that we tailgated right outside a dorm where I used to live. I never would have predicted back in 1993 that I'd bring my child here to tailgate. I used to hate tailgaters.

Happy Birthday Hope!

Happy 34th bday, Hope!

I swear. The stuff people send out on Freecycle. Get a load of this.

I am in desperate need of any type of vehicle for my freeloading brother in law. It doesn't matter if it's a van, car, truck, motorcycle, winnebago, anything he can drive. My husband and I agreed to let him stay with us until he can get on his feet, but that's been a couple of months now. My husband doesn't seem to mind too much because he's his brother. He's told him he had to start helping around the house and get a job, but he's not inforcing it. And he doesn't want me to!! I can't live like this. I don't even want to clean up after my own husband much less his brother. It's so bad I had to make a chore list for me and him to split chores. And now he doesn't even do it everyday, just when he wants to. Anyways, sorry I had to vent. Okay, my brother in law keeps telling us that he doesn't have a way to work or look for a job, so I am asking for someone to please help me out. It doesn't have to be anythig great. It could be the worst looking thing possible, but if it willdrive some, I'll take it. It could even be on it's last leg. The only thing, it would need a title so he can get a tag, but if it's old enough it doesn't need a title, then that's okay. Also, if you don't want to donate it, but would rather him do some work for it, that could be arranged too. He's not lazy when he's working. He'll work really hard, he just needs to find work and in order to do that, he needs a vehicle. Please, if you have anything let me know. I have been putting up with too much crap and it needs to stop. I mean, me and my husband are having problems now because of the way I feel. But, the brother is 26 years old. I think it's time he gets on his own and support his ownself. Do you agree?! Please help a fighting girl out.

Happy Birthday, Sistah

Happy birthday Karen!!! As usual, my card is not yet in the mail (I kept going back and forth what gift card to get you---any hints?) However, you DID get a Thanksgiving card, right?
Anyway, happy 36th (you're old) birthday! Thanks for all the memories. The hair pulling, the choking in the car that Christmas morning, when you put hot water in the fishbowl
because my fish looked cold, you know, all those good memories! :) Seriously, thanks for being a great big sis! Love ya!

Mmmm...guilt...

Atonement is gonna be a movie! Yay!
If you haven't read the novel yet, go out and do so.

Helicopter Parent

Are you one? Do you know one?

Baseball boy

A Wee Lil' Chris
ready for action.

Look what I found.

While I was walking through the inlaws' house, I noticed this lovely picture on the wall. This is from Christmas 1983. Chris was 9, Cory was 4, and Casey was 2. Someone also wrote, "Santa, 2000 years old".

What a great Santa Claus!

Congratulations to Tanner and Crystal!

Tanner proposed to Crystal during Thanksgiving dinner and she said yes! Congrats guys!
When's the date??

You Decide: Ripa or Clay?

Tell me. Was Kelly Ripa being homophobic or was she talkin' bout germs?
Discuss.

Here is what started it all.
Kelly discusses it further.

Stuff

I took two more stick tests today. Both positive. However, older ladies do not believe me and have held off saying any real congrats saying, "You need blood work done." I got kind of down today after sharing my news with two older teachers. After my cold reception, I kept it to myself for the rest of the day. I guess it's their generation? They never had the pee sticks? I don't know. Perhaps they are trying to shield me from any disappointment I may have if anything goes wrong?

Funny story today: Kid is showing off his Wilfred Owen project and points to his (Owen's) official soldier photo. He says, "That's his gangsta face. His killa look." He then did a little Vannah White-esque move over the photo. I cracked up.

So glad they nixed the OJ book/tv special. That was so tacky and just gross.

Finished reading Running with Scissors. I was very disappointed. Magical Thinking was so awesome. Running
just seemed disjointed and he was in need of a better editor to get rid of some horrible similes. Not funny at all. A few times I smiled, but never laughed. There were many disturbing scenes in there...sick. I am not easily shocked either. Oh well. I'm still gonna read Dry or Possible Side Effects. Anyone read these? I still recommend Magical Thinking. His writing is much better there and the material is not as dark.

What was Kramer thinking? Do you blame alcohol or drugs? This just was not...normal.

Maybe the ice cream was a sign of something else.

Fuzzy Pickles!!!!!!

After an hour and a half wait to see Santa, Luke and his cousin Dylan got to sit on Santa's lap. As you can see, Luke was enormously thrilled. Actually, he was excited when he first spotted his first view of Santa. His eyes got big and a smile emerged, but when it came time to walk up to him, Luke followed Dylan...cautiously. Dylan told Santa what he wanted AND what Luke wanted, since Luke remained mute the whole time. It probably worried Luke that a Santa "Elf" (lady in a green smock with teased hair) kept honking a horn and yelling, "FUZZY PICKLES!" I guess I wouldn't smile either.

Before we got to visit Santa, while we were waiting in the line from hell, we were behind a kid named Andrew who was about one. He had stepped in some reindeer poop and his parents seemed oblivious to it until it was almost their time to get his pic made. We don't know how they could miss this fact---Meggan and I were grossing out from the smell. Dylan later hit this same kid in the head with a plastic Spiderman. P.S. Santa Claus was not in Dillards like last year. He has a "Santa Cottage" (really a Santa TRAILER) with the aforementioned reindeer hanging out outside the trailer. Odd, huh? Even stranger is that this is located at the upperclass shopping area, which rhymes with FeastFace. Oh, almost forgot to add---one of the other "elves", a man wearing a green smock that read "Santa Approved", was smoking while he sat in front of the Santa Cottage, err trailer, while he asked kids if they wanted a candy cane. Nice. Reallllll class.

We may be on the news tonight. They were interviewing people in the line. Dylan practically gave an interview. Luke stared and held onto his Spiderman action figure.

Hollywood Stuff

Crabbie's Hollywood--a fun, MEAN site. Love it.

In related news, I'm getting irritated watching Tom grab the back of Katie's head all the time. Really. Have any of you noticed this?

Winter Reading Challenge

Are you up for the challenge?
Thanks for this, Carrie F!!!

Read the rules and then tell me what your five are.
Here are mine:
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
You Belong to Me by Mary Higgins Clark
The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
The Kite Runner by Hossein
Dream Catcher by Margaret Salinger

"I've had a bad day. I think ice cream is the answer."

That was what I told the clerk at the grocery store as I plopped the Rocky Road down in front of him and the register this afternoon.
He blinked and smiled.
I had been so excited to wear my new "birthday shoes" today. I had set them out with my outfit last night, admiring their new blackness and nice normal heel, so unlike my Frankenshoes...
Then came the copier. I was at the copier talking to Kristy about the literary magazine we are trying to raise money for. I stepped backwards and my heel bent inward and almost off.
I was pissed, but I was mainly disappointed. I swear, if it wasn't for bad luck these days I'd have no luck at all, as the ole country boys say.
I hobbled back to the classroom and sat behind my desk until my husband brought me my battered boots to school. Man.

Then of course, we have the "students" pissed off because they are failing (they got their progress reports last Thursday). They don't seem to understand that when you don't do any work, you don't get a passing grade. I had to give all my classes a "Come to Jesus" meeting about their grades. They looked appropriately sullen. I always tell them that the class of 07 is heaven, but the class of 08 is just as great. They don't like it when I say that to them. I am also stressed because it's first semester research paper time again. And they are worse than ever. I seriously wanted to cry when a sweet kid (bless his heart) didn't understand what I meant by indenting. Indenting people. What can I do? We've been working on this paper for five weeks now.

I was definitely Mrs. Mean Teacher today. Mrs. Mean teacher with her stupid battered boots instead of her cool new birthday shoes.

Here's the well, kicker. I had thrown away the receipt and the box after I brought them home. I had never had a problem with shoes from this store before and didn't think I'd need them. Also, Chris is always telling me to stop hoarding stuff, so I threw the box away.

I worried about my sad birthday shoes that didn't work all day.

After work, I was locked out of the house because I got home before Chris and he has the key, since we had to give a key to the housekeeper again. (Yes, thank God she's back.) I sat there, with my old shoes on, the Rocky Road melting off to my left and had a pity party.

Chris finally made it home and gave me a pep talk, telling me to call the shoe place and tell them what happened. Of course I had worried about nothing. I was able to go in and swap them for another pair. I had to get a different style, but that was okay. I was thrilled that it wasn't money thrown out the window.

And now, because I had such a crappy day, Chris is making me Chicken Parmesan. I'm having ice cream for dessert.

PS: Your grammar lesson for the day: Desert is the dry, sandy place. Dessert is a treat. You can remember the difference because the one with two Ss makes the other thing with two Ss big. :)

Ugh

Is there anyone else out there that finds themselves disgusted when ET and Vanessa M. do that "fatsuit" undercover stuff? I think it's HIGHLY OFFENSIVE.
"Oh," cries Vanessa M, "People are so mean to fat people. Why are people judged by their appearances?"

I would bet a MILLION DOLLARS she is the same way to the SAME fat people she's pretending to care about.

How is this shit allowed to get on the air???

Please tell me someone else thinks this is really stupid and DISTURBING!

Congratuations Dusty and Brandy!

They got engaged this past week! Yay!

They should have let him keep his stapler.

Office Space: The Psychological Thriller
Chris wanted me to let you all know that he found it. Not me.

Our October

You wanted photos?
I'll give you photos. Here you go.

34 and all is well!

So I turned 34 yesterday. It turned out to be a good birthday. I was sick last year and didn't go to work on my birthday, but this year I was fine. I came to school with no expectations, but what a day I had! My first period--my "pet" class--the Honors class, brought me a birthday cake that was decorated in orange and blue. My fourth, sixth, and seventh periods all had cards for me. I was touched. A few classes even sang "Happy Birthday" . Whenever they asked how old I was now, I always said, "Sixteen." They thought that was hysterical, because you know, I'm so old. :)

Chris surprised me at 11:30, appearing at my classroom door with a bag of McDonalds in one hand and a dozen red roses in the other. My class applauded his efforts. I know I was very excited about the roses AND the McDonalds meal! :) No school lunch yesterday, no sir.

Marie and Kristy also surprised me with a rose bouquet. What's so funny is that they sent a student to go pick them up and the young boy didn't know what to get, so he "got a rose in every color." Gotta love it. Made it even more special.

When I got home from work, Chris and Luke were waiting for me. Luke led me to my present on the dining room table and the card he "signed" (scribbled on). Chris got me some beautiful earrings. All shiny and sparkly and stuff. I put them on immediately.

At six, we met Mom and Dad at my favorite spot, The Mac. Grill, then wandered over to the bookstore where I picked up a paperback of Running With Scissors (wondering if it will be as good as Magical Thinking...I'm not sure...) and a Thomas the Train Christmas book for Luke.

Back at home, Luke and I blew out my three candles on the cookie cake (you can always count on my parents for a cookie cake!) and opened my gifts from Mom and Dad--a cool new clock radio and some cash. (Speaking of money, thanks go out to my lovely MIL and FIL for the cashola they sent me as well!) (Oh, and the Blockbuster card my fantastic sis sent me! Got it today!!)(Oh, and Hope, that card made me LOL.)

I feel so loved. Thank you guys.

I'm 34 and right where I want to be.

Nothing like your wife making you be a part of the Mock H'coming festivities. Me and the man a few weeks ago. Do we have school spirit or what?

Luke's first game

Here are my boys from this past Saturday at the Auburn, Arkansas State game. Luke enjoyed the band doing the "popcorn" thing before the game. At the game, he wasn't too interested. He was more interested in hitting the people around us with his shaker and/or his feet. We left at halftime. We had fun hanging out with Dave, Chris's cousin, and Tracy, his wife, and their daughter, Addison. A nice clean family event. Cokes were drank, footballs were thrown. Oh, and a car died in Loachapoka. Yeah. On the way there. Luckily, all ended well.

Busted.

I was on my planning period and walking down the hallway the other day when a student approached me. He came out of the library holding out a piece of paper.
"Mrs. C, I know we had to write a short story, but I wrote a poem instead."
I was thinking, Well you are still gonna write a short story.
I looked at the poem he held out for me to read.
I read:
Imagine, ma petite, Dear sister mine, how sweet Were we to go and take our pleasure Leisurely, you and I—To lie, to love, to die Off in that land made to your measure! A land whose suns' moist rays, Through the skies' misty haze, Hold quite the same dark charms for me As do your scheming eyes When they, in their like wise, Shine through your tears, perfidiously. There all is order, naught amiss:Comfort and beauty, calm and bliss. Treasure galore—ornate, Time-glossed—would decorate Our chamber, where the rarest blooms Would blend their lavish scent,Heady and opulent, With wisps of amber-like perfumes; Where all the Orient'sSplendid, rich ornaments—Deep mirrors, ceilings fine—would each,In confidential tone,Speak to the soul aloneIn its own sweet and secret speech.There all is order, naught amiss:Comfort and beauty, calm and bliss.See how the ships, asleep—They who would ply the deep!—Line the canals: to satisfyYour merest whim they comeFrom far-flung heathendomAnd skim the seven seas. —On high,The sunset's rays enfoldIn hyacinth and gold,Field and canal; and, with the night,As shadows gently fall,Behold! Life sleeps, and allLies bathed in warmth and evening light.There all is order, naught amiss:Comfort and beauty, calm and bliss.

I looked at him. "You didn't write this."
"Yes I did." He looked indignant.
"No you didn't." I gave him the paper back. "Charles Bauldelaire wrote it."
He was still mumbling that he wrote it as he walked away, shoes sliding heavily down the hallway.
If the kid wanted to copy a poem, he should have copied one that wasn't IN THE TEXTBOOK WE USE.
(eyeroll)