Saturday, December 31, 2011

11 in 2011

Eleven most memorable things (good or bad) that happened to me in 2011:

*Death of a fellow 2nd grade parent
*Four friends with cancer diagnosis
*Last year to teach preschool
*Finally teaching in my field
*Oldest child's Confirmation
*Watching my middle child run so beautifully and gracefully in track
*Hailstorm/tornado that hurt no one, but did just over $20,000 damage to our home (God bless insurance!)
*Oldest daughter voted "Most Likely To Be Nice To Everyone" by her 8th grade classmates
*My husband giving me 48 hours to myself for the first time in my adult life
*Husband and I enjoying a weekend in Chicago
*My son's unprompted spiritualness--keeps me grounded!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Pinterest

As if I cannot find enough things to waste time doing, I made the mistake of logging on to PINTEREST .  I'm going back to childhood for this excuse:  "My sister made me do it."  I haven't figured out how I am "following" 55 people (or vice versa), but the site is just so much visual fun!!!

WARNING:  If you haven't visited it, DO NOT!!!!  An hour of your time will disappear unexplainedly every time you log on!

P.S.--have fun, but don't blame me!

Friday, December 23, 2011

We've Done Something Right

I experienced one of those proud "mom moments" tonight after our children opened Christmas gifts (Santa comes early since we are visiting family on the 25th). My son looked at me and said, "I just said a little prayer to God and asked him to tell Santa thank you for the best Christmas ever."
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Letter to My Husband

I typed the following letter to my husband and taped it to the toilet seat for his return home.  I think it is self-explanatory.
Dearest Nearly-ex-husband,

When we exchanged marriage vows, I knew our love could withstand virtually anything.  The one exception . . . being left in the bathroom with no toilet paper.  After nearly twenty years of a successful marriage, our sacred vows were about to come to a crashing halt if it were not for my generous and forgiving heart.

Consider yourself on probation.  If you do not change your vile ways, you, the children, and the dog will be left in southern Illinois to live out your dying days with your mother.

Oh--and to answer the question that I know you will ask--extra packages of toilet paper are always located under the vanity in the main floor bathroom and/or in the upstairs linen closet.

Consider yourself warned!

Your favorite wife

His response:  To wad up the note and throw it at me like a snowball!  Hump!  We'll see who is laughing when I leave him with his mother!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Texting while driving

Well ... this is a no brainer.  Many local communities in our area (and around the country) are trying to ban texting while driving citing that it is not safe.  Really?!?!  Shocking!  I cannot multitask while texting in the safety of my own home without having some sort of incident.  In fact, I burnt a batch of cookies while "just checking" my phone for a second.  And this attentiveness level should be different in a vehicle?
I see an accident or evidence of one nearly every day in my long, five-mile commute to work (insert sarcasm).  I am confident that a high percentage of these were a direct result of driver inattentiveness to the road and attentiveness to a phone/text.

Sense of Entitlement

An over-inflated sense of entitlement--especially during the Christmas--is a prevalent problem.  Nothing epitomizes this more than the self-centered actions of Alec Baldwin.  I even hate to give the man any attention by writing about it--he just makes me sick.  The following link highlights his egocentric reaction to being asked to follow a few simple rules:  Baldwin's Bad Behavior.

Why does he suppose that he alone is special enough to disregard airline rules established to keep us safe?  At this point, he's just famous for being famous--sort of like Joan Rivers.  I hope Santa leaves him only coal in his stocking!

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Workout for My Red Pen

I think I am in for a challenge. The first two papers I graded this weekend were both in the "D" range. The "D" is actually an early Christmas gift.  If the science teacher gives an assignment to write a three page minimum background report complete with bibliography--what SHOULD a 1.5 page paper with no bibliography receive?!?!
I should have purchased another red pen while at the store.  It is going to be a long weekend!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Cute Website

Sometimes we take life just a little too seriously.  We need a two minute break to just relax.  This link will lead to a cute cite (kid-friendly) that is a little break from life's seriousness:  http://www.drawastickman.com/

Thursday, December 15, 2011

I Am Backward

I have been feeling so tired lately.  It has finally turned cold and has been overcast/rainy for the past week.  My body is trying to enter hybernation mode.  Today, I got up to get my children ready for school.  I ate breakfast with each (all three eat at a different time).  I had a semi-lengthy conversation (for a school morning) with my oldest.  My husband and I exchanged our day-in-review and the traditional kiss to all as they go out the door.  I just walked up into the bathroom to shower . . . to discover I had my sweatshirt (thankfully not the hooded type) on backward.  Not only did I not notice when I put it on in the dark--but the other four members of my family didn't.  Maybe that's why the dog has been looking at me strangely all morning.
Let's hope I get my sweater on the right way or my junior high school students will have a field day . . . then again, maybe they will not.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Funny Picture on FB

Several of my friends have posted this comic--appropriate for our Facebook obsession.
Too funny!