Friday Favorites

Despite my complete and total lack of ability to create pretty food, the Fourth of July dishes were a success . . . because, you see, this dishes weren't glamorous, but, oh, were they tasty.  Diamond in the rough, I tell you.

Peanut Butter Pie: rich, creamy, sweet, peanut-buttery goodness. It just can’t go wrong.

Mmmmm Peanut Butter Pie filling . . . I could eat this stuff straight out of the mixing bowl . . .

Fruit Dip: as always, potluck highlight . . . and that’s not me bragging, I promise (I hate to brag). Every party I bring this to, people go nuts.
The Dip's first appearance was at a friend's birthday party. I had found a recipe online and gave it a whirl, adding my own little personal touches.  It was a HUGE success. The guests put that dip on bloody everything.
A year later, I go to see the same people for our friend's subsequent birthday (I mean, come on, you keep having them until you’re dead, and he’s not dead yet . . .). The moment I walked in the door, I was met with, “Oh thank GOD!!! You brought the DIP!!!”
They remembered.
And, apparently, had been waiting for a year for the dip’s return.
It’s that good, people.


Oreo Pie: Light, sweet, with creamy coupling the chocolate crunch of the crust. It’s a three-layered pie: the bottom, thickest layer is your creamed cheese/whipped mixture, followed by a layer of white-chocolate pudding, topped off with whipped cream and Oreo crumbles. It's really the perfect summer pie because it's so sweet and light.
Unfortunately, despite my following the directions EXACTLY (which is kind of a big deal for me), the freakin’ pie wouldn’t fit.
I literally could not get the pie dish lid on or off. First, the pie was too tall, so I had to squeeze, and it oozed everywhere. Ok, I can fix that . . . I go to remove the lid . . . and it’s suction-cupped on there. After PEELING off the lid and attempting to wipe up the mess, I ended up removing two thirds of the whipped topping and that sucker was STILL bursting.

Behold! Mine pie overfloweth . . .

But it was GOOD.
And, actually, the individual pieces looked quite pretty sliced and served. 
Next time, I may try serving it in a larger dish . . .or just with less whipped topping . . . or maybe as bars in the square dish . . . really, the possibilities are endless, folks.

All of the recipes are pretty stinkin’ simple and sure to be a hit. I recommend giving them a whirl :}

Oh, and, um, Cali trip is in three days. WOW!!!
This will be so interesting . . . five days with the in-laws . . . just the four of us . . . At least they know the area fairly well. I find myself starting to get stressed and panicked about the move, with the HUGE leap in living expenses . . . people keep telling us we won't be able to afford anything out there . . . but we'll make due, right?

Anyways, happy weekend, folks!

Friday Favorites

By golly, Miss Molly! It's been a while since I've done one of these! Let's give it a go!

Hubbish Immitations:

The hubs' birthday-money-from-everyone gift to himself: a Les Paul Studio Deluxe . . . ooooh it's pretty and sounds beautiful. It's his baby.



“Chris? Why are you grumpy?”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. Did I marry an Eeyore?”

*sigh* “No, you did not marry ‘an Eeyore.’ You see, I bring balance. I am whatever everyone else in the room is not. You’re in the room, and you’re all like, ‘OH MY GOD! DRAGONFLIES! SUNSHINE! LOOK AT THE SPIDER WEB! KITTIIIIIES!!! PIPKIN! NAVI! MUAHMUAHMUAH! I LOVE YOU!!!! SHASTA! CHASE THE PUPPY! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!! I PAINT ALL THE THINGS!”

Sadly, I’m afraid this may be an accurate representation . . .

This Pup:

She’s converted me.

This crazy-cat-lady-wannabe loves canines.

Well, this canine.

But, seriously, how could I not? Look at that face!

She was begging for cheese . . . I made her wait for it . . . I'm a terrible puppy parent, I know . . .

And, no, sweet kitties, you can never be replaced.

Pipkin

Navi

Zoo Trips

I love going to the zoo . . . Even if the Sanford Zoo isn't the most impressive. Chris and I both love creepy-crawlers and the big cats.

He totally commandeered my camera in the reptile/amphibian exhibit so I resorted to using my phone . . . silly man.

We attended with the family company . . . the one I work for during the summers and the one that is sending him out to Cali. It was fun, seeing all of his out-of-town relatives and, let's face it, a free trip to look at awesome critters and then enjoy a free lunch. Good weekend? Yes. 

Artsy-Fartsy:

Last night, after much begging from me and much sweet sacrifice from him, the hubs took me out to paint our own pottery again. I don’t know if my Zelda-homage-GIANT coffee cup will turn out well . . . but, by golly, it was fun.

And I was a mess.
I love being a mess for the sake of art.
Mostly because, whenever I partake in art, I end up looking like an utter disaster.

You should have seen the other hand . . .

P.S. I also realized that, when concentrating on tiny details while painting, I totally do that weird thing where I get REALLY close to the project, my brow furrows, and my tongue pokes out of the corner of my mouth. Why exposed tongues aid in artistic creation? I DON’T KNOW. But it works.

This Bracelet:

You see, I wanted this favorite phrase from a favorite book by a favorite author inked.
The hubs was less than keen. Boo.

Anywho, so we compromised. I found this awesome shop that can do custom bracelets, so voila!
Now I where “He’s not a tame lion” on my wrist every day, and I can take it off every night.

He’s happy.
I’m happy.
TA-DA!!!

Strange Children

Do you know how intriguing it is to find small people in an office setting??
HUGELY interesting.

Does this speak to the excitement level of my job?
Yes, yes it does.

I feel like Jane Goodall examining apes. Seriously, I should start taking notes.
Every arguement I overhear, all the random games, the bartering of food, the aimless strolling, the irritated, working mother . . . It's FASCINATING.
Says the girl typing up archives of the development of celery seed.
. . . it's actually becoming interesting . . . celery . . .

Now, the feral children are wandering the office in their incredibly squeaky sneakers and flappy flip-flops, foraging for diet sodas . . . how interesting, you strange, foreign little creatures . . .

Thank God it’s Friday. I need to get out. Obviously. :]

College Diplomas

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!
The hubs has officially graduated with his Bachelors of Science Degree!!!
It only took him ten years, but, by golly, he made it!

And, yes, we TOTALLY still have it on disply like that on our mantle

Have an awesome weekend, lovelies!

Friday Favorites

So Close . . .

TGIF.

Can I get an Amen? Amen.

Is it a bad sign that, for the past two weeks, every time I sit in my cubicle, my head feels light, my body gets hot, my mouth dries out, and my stomach hurts?

The good news is that, come Wednesday, it’s all over. It has been a great opportunity, and I am so grateful . . . but I’m ready to be in my classroom again. Work on my feet, interact with people, projects that feel like they really matter.

And no 401(k) forms.
None.
I never, ever want to see another one ever again unless it’s my own. Please and thank you.

The Cottage

My brother is awesome. Can I just give him a shout out? Because he’s AWESOME.
He gave up last weekend to help us move some things, paint, and play Donkey Kong Country Returns with Chris (it’s their thing right now). So, now, he’s coming over AGAIN to do more of the same . . . and come with me to IKEA to get furniture for my study. And he’s bringing us more boxes.

Because, after tomorrow, it’s one week, peeps. ONE WEEK until we move. The yard will need some work, and the exterior will need a new coat of paint, but the cleaning and painting inside has spruced it up beautifully. It’s small, it’s not brand new, but it’s lovely.

And, in one week, I get to call it “home.”
Score

There's a Rumbly in My Tumbly

You know when you’re in grade school, and your favorite subject was lunch?
Totally there, right now.
I so look forward to lunch breaks on workdays. Why? Because the hubs always packs me something lovely. It’s a great surprise, and he’s always so sweet to do it. Some days, I even find little notes scattered around the apartment reading, “Lunchbox! Don’t forget! I love you!”

Oh pitter-pat, pitter-pat goes my little heart. Even when it’s too early for my body to admit being conscious, his little notes make me grin. Not smle, but grin--you know, where your whole face lights up and looks like it's going to break because your lips are spread so far? That I-just-might-explode-in-a-good-way look?

It’s the little things in life, folks.

Words

Yesterday, I wrote nearly 2000 words for my book. Today, I’m writing more. It’s like my soul was in drugged sleep, and now it’s coming out of the coma . . . and it’s excited. The world’s a big place filled with mystery and adventure, again, and I get to write it all down.

Lucky me. Seriously.

I started writing this book when I was 12, finished at 16, and then had eight years of re-writing writer’s block. Oi. But, maybe now, just maybe, I can finish it.

Those words were rough—really rough—but ideas are being born as words again. I’m excited about it again.

Life is good.

Etsy Blog Giveaways

I am just now discovering these and golly wolly, love them!
I never expect to win anything, but hey, why not allow myself to maybe be surprised, right?
Maybe.
Possibly.
Latest giveaway love? Yellow Bird + Yellow Beard is hosting a lovely jewelry giveaway with Maie Dae. If you haven't checked out her shop, you should. I'm in LOVE with the e.e. cummings necklace (love me some e.e., mmmhmmm, yes ma'am).

Right now, these lovely earrings are the token prize.



Click here to view additional rules and enter yourself! It's open until midnight tonight!

Friday Favorites (or Things You Learn at the Summer Job)

Interning at this 85-year-old family business, I find myself going away with a little more knowledge than when I came in.

Because, really, I didn’t come in with much.
At all.

See, the hubs and in-laws don’t talk about “the company” much. Every once in a while, I’d hear something, but it was like hearing people speak Chinese—you knew a few of the words from your child’s favorite PBS shows but the rest was complete gibberish.

My first assignment as an intern was to spend my day reading newsletters from the past twenty years.
Nope, not even kidding.
Do you know what it’s like reading twenty years worth of “and this is how the celery’s doing”? Sure, there were other things: radishes, cooling and packaging plants, employee announcements, real estate . . . puppy birth announcements.
Yeah, I’ll never get over that last one.

After that, it was writing articles on farming, auditing employee forms, archiving and summarizing past newsletters, writing company-inspired trivia, and scanning mountains of old company and family photos. Needless to say, after being here for almost two months, I now know more about the company than Chris does . . . and it’s owned by his blood relatives.

I learned . . .

• Farmer’s like to pose with their crops.
  Sometimes rulers are involved. “This season, Celery is THIS tall! We’re so proud!”
  Sometimes it’s beside competitor’s crops or crops before new growing method and whatnot. For historical records, comparisons, and all that.
  Sometimes, they also like to pretend it’s a candid photo. “Oh yeah, squat down in the celery field and look thoughtful! No one will know you’re posing! So natural!”
  Kiddos, you’re not fooling anyone.
• Florida farmer haircuts bear a huge resemblance to the male haircuts peppering the Mississippi population surrounding my alma mater (good grief, I can’t believe I just called it that haha). Need an idea? Justin Bieber but with more comb-over-esqu swoosh than styled straightening. Yup.
• There is SO MUCH paperwork. Good golly. But I guess that’s across the board with any company. 
•  If you don’t immediately deal with said paperwork, it builds to a monster mound of impossibility. So you give it to the intern to deal with.
• History matters. A lot. The office building proudly displays old labels, posters, family pictures. Nearly every individual office holds a large portrait of “the three seniors” (the sons of the man who first started farming celery in this area of Florida). Family history is important  . . . but there's a fine line . . . somewhere . . .
• Any time you’re uber bored, I could recite the family history for you . . . but I won’t . . . not now, anyways.

In my spare time, my time trying to keep my brain a pulsing, living, thinking part of my body, I browsed Google like a madwoman

I learned . . .

• You can kill and prevent bugs in your home and pets without heavy chemical-based products (natural plant oils, garlic, and diatomaceous earth help A LOT . . . I’ll let you know how that goes)
• Eating dirt is good for you. Well eating diatomaceous earth is.
   Supposedly, it helps clean your digestive tract, clean plaque out of your veins and arteries, and gives you softer hair, stronger nails, and a cleaner complexion. Oh and it gets rid of intestinal parasites. Not something I’m worried about right now, but, hey, why not?
• Light colors and vertical stripes make a room look taller and larger
• If you have a brown roof, use warm colors like yellow . . . which is why we’re painting ours a deep, neutral green. Most likely. We may be too tired to bother.
• The world’s tiniest insect, a Trichogramma Wasp, lays its eggs inside the eggs of other pests and is excellent pest control. They also cost near $50 via Amazon. Hm, not paying that much for a bug, sorry.
• I get sick to my stomach even seeing pictures of roaches. YUCK
• That there are several different kinds of scrapbooking glue
• It’s difficult to find anything but full-length curtains online. I have little windows, and need little curtains, peeps. Please?
• People who review products are either really positive or bitter and grumpy.
• The images from the new 2012 Amazing Spiderman look fabulous. And, I’m sorry, but Andrew Garfield is adorable. *SQUEEZE*
• I send WAY more emails now than I ever have before. I’m desperate for human contact.
• Robert Patterson is distantly related to Vlad the Impaler . . . aka Dracula.
  You know, Mr. Patterson, if you weren't you, this would probably make you pretty cool . . . but now, I'm a little creeped out.

Friday Favorites

"The times they are a-changin'!"

First: the fact that I found this song: Awesome. It was on an old mix CD Chris didn't want any more, so  needing more tune-age in my life, I gave it a new home in my car. Love it.

Secondly: I felt the blog needed a facelift. A minimalist facelift. As someone who usually loves color, I think I'm pretty pleased with the new layout. Yes, yes indeed I am.

Thirdly: I have about three week until teacher orientation starts . .  .AAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!
Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm feeling inside. The realization hit me Tuesday at work "Oh, July, you lovely month you--my last month auditing all of these forms, scanning old documents, and doing . . . OH GOSH LAST MONTH!!! School starts next month!!! And I . . . oh merciful mother in heaven!"

Yeah, that's pretty much how it went down in my brain. We're trying to keep the panic at minimal levels. No idea where to even start with this . . . and work 40 hours a week . . . and clean . . . and keep the hubs fed, as it seems he is only moderately developed in this ability of turning raw meat into an edible meal. He claims he's well skilled, but I'll believe it when I see it, Mister ;]

This Picture

I found it in the middle of scanning photos of members of the family business. See that fellow in the teal polo shirt? That's the hubs around age 7 or something.

Oh my goodness, how I squealed. Isn't he just awkwardly adorable?
The other players are his grandfather (who hasn't aged a day, I swear) and his cousin, Douglas (who has aged, thank goodness).

Chris has a habit of either forgetting or hiding old pictures of himself, so I'll take what I can get. I'm not too proud to scrounge and beg, especially when the results are so stinkin' cute.

I think I need a new book . . .

Preferably this one.
Watched this televised version last night on Netflix instant play on a whim. Not my favorite movie, but fascinated by the characters.
Side note: oh my goodness golly wolly. I did not know they could put scenes like THAT on public television anywhere but Europe. Shocking. Awkward. Not at all what I expected from PBS. O.O
And no, that is NOT why I want to read the book. Sheesh.

 I have not felt such conflict over a male character since . . . well, golly, maybe ever. I like Byronic heroes,  (V from V for Vendetta anyone? Phantom of the Opera??) but with Heathcliff it was "Aaaw, poor Heathcliff! Stupid Heathcliff! Evil Heathcliff! Poor, poor Heathcliff!" I could not make up my mind. Flip-flop-flip-flop every other scene.
True romantic conflict, people. You don't see that any more--not really as conflict, but as the idealized emo relationship. Ugh. Don't get me started on Twilight. Please don't. 
At least in Wuthering Heights, they want you to KNOW this relationship is MESSED UP.

Mmm Byronic heroes, so delightfully fictitious.

Looks like I'll be revisiting the other Bronte sister, as well, as soon as my books are out of their boxes and on shelves (can I get a "Heck yes"? Two years without them. TWO. BLOODY STINKIN BLINKIN. YEARS.)

The Cottage

Current renters move out this weekend.
This means clean-up and painting projects can begin next week (oh please!)
And then moving in as soon as possible.
Good golly, I cannot believe it's here already. O.O

Friday Favorites

What to Wear

Working for an agricultural company (or “ag” as they call it . . . I’m starting to pick up on the lingo, here, folks), jeans are totally within dress code. Um, can I get a “Heck yes!” going on in here?
Not only jeans, but plaid shirts, big belt buckles, cowboy boots, country accents, and hunting trophies as wall décor are also accepted if not encouraged.
And no, though I love plaid, these are not really pieces of my wardrobe.

Oh, and P.S. Three day weekend any one?? Oh golly it's been too long. Three day weekend, my soul needs you. I've missed you so . . .

“Just singin’ in the rain! What a glorious feelin’! I’m happy again!”

It has rained every day since Monday.
Sometimes it starts in the late morning, but mostly as I’m leaving for work. I get a nice mini shower on the way out to my car. Is it strange to say I love it? There’s something about slate-gray skies and raindrops I find beautiful and invigorating. Maybe I should move to Seattle where it’s always raining. Anything involving water—rain, the sea, rivers, even the bathtub (seriously, what beats a bubble bath and facial mask after a long day at work?)—fill me with awed joy. I need this earthy wetness in my life. The desert would wither me.
I always knew I should have been a mermaid.

The Upside of the Downside

The nice thing about having plank-straight hair is that it dries straight on those mornings when you’re running late and you pick make-up over hair-do, so you leave a properly painted but sopping mess.
Well, most of it’s straight. It seems that my lifelong craving for curls has fused itself into one very tiny section, which flips out with such great fervor it’s either charmingly endearing or infuriating, I can’t decide.

The Health Saga Continues

I’ve discovered that climbing stairs burns about 10 calories a minute.
Now guess what I’ve been doing at work for five minutes every hour.
Yep, that hot, sweaty, unconditioned staircase is now my best friend. And, no, it's not open--there are doors closing it off from the top and bottom stories, so I don't look like a complete freak trotting up, down, up down, and up again.
Keeps me awake, allows me to move (otherwise I seriously feel my bum spreading like melted butter . . . gross . . . how do you all-day desk job people do it???), and burns a few calories. This also now enables me to nibble on the donut holes they’ve brought in three days this week. Glory.


I will continue to highly recommend the Cook This, Not That cookbook collection. I’ve made several recipes out of it, now, and we’ve loved every one of them. Delicious, healthy, and easy, so it's all are pretty much addictive. Maybe I should post a couple so you understand the awesomeness. Just motivate me to make my recipes more photo-worthy, and I'll get working on that.


Oh, and P.S. if you haven’t already, check out my friend Ande’s revamped website, Broke and Healthy. She’s added several new sections so the site now goes beyond cooking. She is accepting articles from her readers with tips on eating healthy, exercise, weight loss, family activities, recipes, and home décor, so if you have anything you’d love to share, she'd love to hear from you!

The Cottage

I'm going to do it.
I'm going to ask for help from some fabulous, artistic, decor-savvy family friends to see if I can't solve this paint puzzle.
Quite frankly, I'm stumped--I keep finding colors and designs I like, but then I have such severe doubts that I'm choosing something that will turn out all wrong. Ugh. I know it's only a rental, but, still, if I have the freedom to redecorate how I please, then, bloody, I'm turning that house into a home one way or another.

What are your Friday Favorites?

Friday Favorites

So, I’m weaseling this in during my lunch break. Don’t tell! Sssshhhhhh!! Oh I am so ninja devious ;]

Summer time

The heat in summer time Florida is nearly unbearable. All of you early Floridian settlers, props to you, because, quite frankly, I don’t know how you made it without air conditioning. Golly wolly.

But, the thunderstorms are back. The heat lightning has returned. Clouds pile on top of clouds in pillars of color and light, looking completely unearthly, in cerulean and charcoal skies. I love it. I could stare at the sky all day long. Most times, I don’t bother with pictures—they will never do it justice.

The frogs have started singing again. I love frog songs. Peppy bright tree frogs, fat grumpy toads, I love them. Did you know that frogs only hear the songs of their own species? So, when you’re out at night, and it seems like hundreds of them are chirping away, they only hear the songs from their potential mates, the others? Silence. Don’t exist. Isn’t that incredible? The sun sets, and it’s like a concert. Beautiful, natural music chiming on the air, and suddenly, my anxious, tired heart is cheerfully at peace. Truly lovely.

Community

A few months ago, I stepped out on a limb and joined a small group at my church.

I know, that’s like the scariest thing ever . . . maybe not so much.

But, actually, I was frightened to the point of tears. I wanted friends so badly. I missed the church I had grown up in, I missed my friends from college, I missed community. But I was scared of it. I would get all excited about an opportunity and then I’d just freeze, doubts rushing through my head like minnows. I’d carefully select my wardrobe, mess with my hair, wonder if I looked right--not like myself but "right," as if there's a standard--I would plan my conversation –not that those EVER go according to plan. I wondered if it was weird that I was going without Chris, if I was too weird. If I wasn’t successful enough. So, that first week, I went to Chris in near tears, terrified no one would like me. That I would show up, and I would be the outcaste. As kindly as he could, Chris told me this was utter nonsense. So I sat there in the papasan, trembling, while he hugged me and sweetly told me over and over again how silly this was.

It was.

Something in me still isn’t hasn't completely opened up. I'm not fully convinced that I fit in, but they are such a delightful group of peers. Friendly, out-going, honest, and with hearts for serving and their Lord. No, some of them don’t know what hobbit holes are, but that’s ok. I don’t know most pop culture and fashion, so then we’re even. The girls from group are having a girl’s night out tomorrow. Can I just give a shout out to how AWESOME it is to have a social life again? With beautiful people? Because it is.

Copier Jobs

Laugh all you want, but I got 40 minutes of heavy-duty pacing worked in while the monster copier replicated a 50 page document 50 times. I tried not to think about how weird I looked and instead decided to focus on the fact that I was getting some sort of cardio in . . . and that it would only look weirder if I had tried doing lunges. Yeah, pacing works.

The Cottage

In two weeks, the current renters begin moving out. I don’t know how quickly or rushed it will go, as they know our lease is up in September . . . but they also know we want to be moved in by the second week of August at the latest (before the school year really gets underway) and that, before we begin moving in, we want time to repaint and polish, give the place a tidy up and a facelift, because, really, as lovely and in shape as it is, being a thirty-year-old home with at least five previous owners, you need a lil lovin'. 

I am so nervous and so excited. Finances seem to be all right for a few new furniture pieces (rugs, a desk and some bookshelves) and some accessories. I’m trying not to get my hopes too high and not to worry.  Maybe I won't get a flower garden or pretty patio furniture, and maybe, after all my love and effort, it will never truly be "chic and fabulous," but it's all ok. It will all work out. It's going to be ours, and that's pretty special. So now, we wait.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate waiting? Patience is a virtue . . . and a real pain sometimes.

Again, please please please PLEASE any decorating or budget decorating tips out there, send them my way! I’d be most grateful! :]

What are some of your Friday favorites?

Friday Favories

Natural Beauty

Don't you love a good, healthy way to be beautiful? Yeah, me, too :]
Yes to Carrots Inc.--an organic beauty product company--has stolen my affections and devotion. Sorry Pantene and Nexxus. Sorry St. Ives. This stuff just can't be beat.  I'm not one for bandwagons, but this whole organic trend is starting to make sense. Or maybe I'm just being brainwashed. There's always that possibility, right? But seriously, I started using their tomato facial wash over a month ago, and I have had maybe three zits. This is a big deal, peeps. It's not a harsh wash, like I used to think I needed for my oily skin, but gentle and effective. I'm trying their carrot shampoo out, and I can tell a difference just in one wash. Ever since using Aveda shampoos, the non-organic stuff just feels stiff and dirty. I needed a less expensive but equally awesome natural wash, and voila! Yes to Carrots!
They can be found in your local drug store, grocery store, or on their website--no trip to a fancy salon!--and most products are $10.00 or less--Yay! Money!
Anyways check out the company and all of their fabulous, all-natural, no-cruelty products on their website www.yestocarrots.com. 

We've Got Class

So these are some images of my first grade class. Golly, I am going to miss all of these sweet cuties. These kids and their families really have blessed my life and taught me so much. I'm excited about moving up to middle school, but very little in this world beats having seventeen kids beg for hugs, draw you masterpieces, and proclaim their love day after day. Oh, and have I mentioned that they're hysterical??
Here are some pictures I took the last week of school. Really going to miss all of these lovely faces!

The whole shebang. They're masters at silly faces

Picture Book Character Costume Day! We had secret agents, a bounty hunter, a pirate, a luau dancer, cats, a tea-party-goer, Brigid from Purple, Green and Yellow, a ballerina, a dalmatian, a fish, and Fancy Nancys. So much fun!

I couldn't convince him that Boba Fett was cooler than Jango Fett, but hey, this costume was fabulous. And, seriously, his "best bounty hunter pose" is intense, right?

Reading our picture books :]

 

Ok, so not only is this one of the cutest costumes ever on one of the cutest little girls ever, but this book, Purple, Green, and Yellow by Robert N. Munsch is fabulous. On an unrelated note, an almost as wonderful book (especially for cat lovers) is Slinky Malinki by Lynley Dodd is so much fun.

"Give me your best Captain Jack pose!" And, really, he didn't do half bad :]

My Fancy Nancys

Could I have asked for a better group my first year teaching? I think not :}

Friday Favorites

Check out Rachel' s delightful patch of blogdom, Finding Joy. You will be blessed :]

The End is Nigh . . . 

Today was our last Friday. Our last extracurricular day. Most of it was spent rehearsing for the "E-Zone Extravaganza" tonight in which almost every class will either display their work or perform . . . or both. Oh, and we spent all day signing t-shirts. The kids all wear a designated E-Zone t-shirt (aka a casual uniform of blue jeans and that special T), and, the last day of the year, they sign them. Did I mention they signed mine, too? I have notes like "I like you so much" and "You're the Best Teacher." Love my kids.
But I'm glad it's over. I was in bed by 2:15 and slept until 6:30. WOW.

Tuesday is our official last day, and, in first grade, we're having a costume party. We're dressing up as our favorite picture book characters. Chris was kind enough to pick up this little gem for me:

 A. if you're a redhead or have freckles or both, this book is beyond adorable. Props to Ms. Moore for not only performing beautifully on screen but on writing such a delightful romp of childhood :]
B. Easiest costume EVER. I just show up in a ponytail with a cute top, jeans, and flip flops and TA-DA! It's a shame my make-up covers my freckles. I suppose I'll just draw them on.

New Snacks

I am officially addicted. These were BOGO at Publix ,and good golly, I'm like a drug addict who's just rediscovered crack. I mean, anything with peanut butter is bound to be lovely. These are great. Totally satisfies any cravings for sweet and crunchy. Nom nom.

Speaking of new snacks . . . If you're trying to find a handy way to cut back on the pounds, try Loseit.com. Instead of "dieting" by telling you to cut out certain foods, it lets you decide by counting calories. You tell it your goal weight and how much you want to lose a week, and it tells you a calorie limit. It's an easy program to use. Easy food-wise? Let's say it's a lesson in self control and self-discipline. I can have all of the flavor in a smaller portion OR workout to melt those calories away. I've been on it for a month and can already tell a difference. Now if I can just get the camera to do the same . . . hmmmmm . . .

This Guy

 That's "The Birthday Hat." Two years ago, one of our Japanese students bought it at Disney as a gift for my mom. It makes it's appearance every birthday. Chris's is Monday. Twenty-Eight, peeps. The man will be 28, as in 2 years away from 30. I like to tease him about that ;]
 

And this. This is a big favorite. Every time we go to my parents', Ellie begs Chris to play Legos with her. So he does. Love it.