Jewels...and all that Razz

Small Town Perks

2012-01-30T19:37:00.002-06:00

Living in a small town is hard. I know, I grew up in one. The cliquish mentality of the always-haves can be oppressive to the never-hads. Your business is everyone else's business, 24 hours a day. There's little opportunity to grow into your full potential, unless you stretch your wings and break free of the small town. And yet for those of us who grew up in small town USA, there is no place better. A sense of community, security, and belonging are there for anyone willing to settle down and make a home. There is a certain comfort in knowing that if you hit a snag, someone will be around to offer a hand. You know if your car dies in the middle of the road, not everyone will zoom past, angrily honking at your misfortune. Somebody will stop and offer a tow, a phone, or a ride. Even if they don't know you.

If living in a small town is hard, moving to a small town and trying to find your place is even harder. We wanted to raise Aaron in a small town similar to the one we grew up in, and we've always felt drawn to Kaufman. We ended up building a house just outside of Rockwall in 2000 instead of moving to Kaufman because the drive seemed too far. In 2007, Rockwall county's growth was pushing in around us and we decided we had to get out of the chaos and pandemonium. So we put our house up for sale and started preparing to build on the land we had purchased in Kaufman county the year before. After realizing building was not our best option, we sold that land and bought an existing home in the country. The adjustment was tough (for me - notsomuch for Pressly, who would do without people altogether if allowed). We had very few neighbors and didn't really know anyone in town. Several people invited us to visit their churches, but beyond that, no one really reached out or even seemed interested. We were just outsiders encroaching on their small town, not worth a second glance, because who were we, anyway?

We've been here 4 1/2 years now and we have made a place for ourselves. We know a few people, either by name or at least by familiar faces. I have a job teaching here, and am getting to know more and more people through work. I can get from home (7 miles outside of town) to anywhere in town in under 20 minutes. Traffic is nonexistent, and our vet is level-headed and super cheap. One of our few neighbors is a precious woman whom we've grown to love like a grandma. We help each other out. Yesterday she called me in a panic because she'd locked her keys in her car at the grocery store, so I ran to her rescue with a spare key. She picks Aaron up from school and hangs out with him when I have meetings. Our other neighbors own the feed store. When I called today to find out if they had de-wormer for our dogs, she not only told me my choices, but offered to stay at the store late to meet me or bring it to the house later this evening so I wouldn't have to drive back into town for it. I love living in this small town!

Goodbye, Beth

2011-09-24T21:53:00.000-05:00

A while back, I shared a link to the blog Beth and Dave James kept to chronicle her battle with pancreatic cancer. My friend Beth passed away today. Thankfully her battle was relatively brief. She spent a year fighting it, and really suffered the last three months. My heart aches for our loss, and for the fact that her children will grow up without her, but I find comfort in knowing she is in the loving arms of our Father, free from the pain that enveloped her these past months.

My prayer for her children and husband is comfort and peace. God surely has wonderful things in store for them.

Before anyone told me she was gone, I knew it. I felt it somehow. When Pressly came home from work, he asked what time she had passed, and I said I didn't know for sure. He said for some reason about 6, he just knew that she was gone. She had been on my mind all afternoon, and shortly after 6, I had a sense of relief when I thought of her. My prayer has been that God would take away her pain, and He has. Just not the way I had hoped.

This was the scene from my back porch after I received the phone call confirming what I already felt.

Thanks for the splashy farewell, Beth.

We love you and will miss your effervescent spirit and beaming smile.

Oops! (The first day of school!)

2011-08-22T19:54:00.001-05:00

When I turned the final corner on the way to my school this morning, I knew I was in trouble. I thought I was getting there early. Just for the record, parents who are eager to dump their kids and reclaim their daytimes think early is actually much earlier than I thought.

After flying into a silent rage over a parent blocking the ENTIRE entrance to the parking lot, I finally parked, ordered Aaron out of the car, grabbed my rolling cart and fled into the school pushing fresh faced children asunder. Okay that last bit was a lie. But I did pass up quite a few of them on the way in. I couldn't believe at 7:20 there was already a line of parents waiting to drop off. And the parking lot was full. That meant there were probably already kids in the school. I walked into my room at 7:28 and saw 16 bright shining faces attached to 5th grade bodies sitting quietly at their desks.

And get this... they were at the CORRECT desks!! I had put name tags on the desks and the kids figured out where to sit without being told.

During my conference, I was chatting with another teacher and laughed at my timing error. The 15-year veteran assured me it is impossible to beat the first child there. She arrived shortly after 7:00 and had a precious sitting outside her door.

So, lesson learned for next year: arrive at 5:00 a.m. to beat the rush.

Scaredy Kat

2011-08-20T07:44:00.000-05:00

Our dog Katy is a strange duck. She's afraid of everything. When she was younger, it took a good thunderstorm or nearby fireworks to send her scrambling to sit on my head. Have I mentioned she weighs over 60 pounds? There has been more than one occasion when I woke up suffocating under her girth. I'm not kidding.

Nowadays, anything a little out of the ordinary sends her over the edge. She's not one to shrink in the corner and shake with fear. Oh, no. She needs the comfort of a human in close proximity.

Last Saturday morning, I awoke to the sweet, sweet sound of a slow rain. Apparently it's been so long since we had rain, she found the peaceful drip-drip-drip menacing. She refused to go out into the scary water-falling-from-the-sky; instead, she opened both bathroom doors to let herself in while I was on the toilet and wedged herself behind the porcelain. Have I mentioned she's not a small dog?

Stop envisioning me on the toilet.

Saturday afternoon, we bought a new TV. Apparently new electronics are now sinister. She sought shelter between Pressly and the cabinetry as he was leaning over trying to reach the inputs on the back.

This dog is nutso.

I Have No Words . . .

2011-08-14T10:32:00.000-05:00

. . . for this:

We parked waaaay out on the edge of the Kohl's parking lot in Rockwall and when we got out of the truck, this is what we saw.

Here's a closeup of it:

Looks like someone took a huge bite, chewed part of it up, decided he/she didn't like it and returned the partially masticated bread to the loaf.

What the heck? And also, ha!!

Swag!

2011-08-13T19:25:00.002-05:00

Orientation on Friday was actually enjoyable! The superintendent shared his passion for education and his love for the district. He and several other speakers were pretty funny!

There were only 11 new hires; 9 of us were teachers, plus 1 nurse and 1 counselor. This compared to a typical year when there are 30+ new teachers - I feel so blessed to have been chosen to work for Kaufman ISD at all, but especially this year!

A local business, ABOX Packaging donated a ton of supplies to help us stock our rooms so we have things for those kiddos who get to school with nothing. Lookit! And this wasn't even all of it - there were baskets full of stuff on every table, too:

Our principals, who were also at the orientation, told us to "go shopping." So we did! At first we were all being very conservative, but then someone decided to heck with that, and we all started grabbing up all the things we knew we each would use. Once our bags were about to split and we all felt like we had been too greedy, we looked around and saw that there was still lots of stuff left!

This is what I ended up with:

I didn't inventory all of it, but there's a lot of stuff there! The large blue and black bags on the right were gifts from the chamber of commerce and the school. The First Days of School was a gift from the district for all first-year teachers. I already have a copy, but figured I could share this one with someone! The green, pink and b/w gift bag is full of post-its, colorful binder clips, push pins, etc. It was a door prize from Lee's Pizza in Scurry.

The Chamber of Commerce, Texas Health Kaufman, and American National Bank provided a delicious barbecue luncheon from Jackson Street BBQ on the square in Kaufman. I had chicken and beef and both were tasty! Their sauce is really good too.

I'll be sending out thank you notes to all the businesses and organizations who helped make our welcome to KISD a real event.

Turquoise Toes?

2011-08-11T22:38:00.000-05:00

Yes, please!

That super fancy background is my new classroom clock sitting atop a bunch of paper I've been using to cut out lettering. Hey, it was close by and looked prettier than my carpet or a dining room chair. Classy.

I bought this Finger Paints brand polish earlier this summer and I just love it! The color is called "Tiffany Imposter." Tomorrow I have to dress more formally than I'm really comfortable when it's 110 degrees out because in the midst of orientation, there will be a luncheon hosted by the school board, chamber of commerce and a local bank. So this is my little bit of "me."

Calm

2011-08-11T12:44:00.000-05:00

I don't know why, but I'm calm today. I get all orientated tomorrow. I've been told there will be more introductions and hand shaking than I've ever experienced. I sure hope there's no test over the names, since I'm horrible at remembering them!

Yesterday I managed to come up with a furniture setup for my classroom that I like. I think it overcomes most of the obstacles I was facing, and it's a little offbeat, so it suits me perfectly! I have an area reserved for student computers (hope,hope,hope I get some!) and for a reading/library corner. I still have no bookshelf, no extra table, and no chair for my desk, but things are coming together nicely! Once I get things on the walls, I'll post pictures.

Setting it all Up, Or not...

2011-08-10T09:15:00.000-05:00

I was so exhausted yesterday, but I resisted the urge to take a nap. I just knew I'd be able to fall right asleep last night. Notsomuch. I tossed and turned from 11 to midnight, then gave up for a while. I finally fell asleep after 1. My mind was spinning about how I'm going to set up my room.

I spent several hours yesterday covering bulletin boards, arranging furniture, etc.

Yes! I have furniture! The big teacher's desk has one dubious leg. I'll need to watch that to make sure the steel behemoth doesn't threaten to amputate any young toes.

But I still do not know how my room setup will work. My document camera/projector cart needs to be 10 feet from the nearest electric plug on one wall. It will have to be 12 feet from my computer on a different wall because the network drop is waaaayyyy over there. And I can't seat kids directly behind the cart, or they won't be able to see. Oh, and I need to create a small classroom library area. So I need to think about cords, visibility, space efficiency, seating arrangement, and who knows what else! These are things the general population doesn't consider. Can't someone just come set this up for me and then I'll make changes to suit me?

On the upside, I got keys to the building and my room yesterday, so I'm no longer at the mercy of others to let me get in there to work.

The Script

2011-08-09T08:34:00.002-05:00

Last night I pulled out my The First Days of School book, determined to finally finish reading it. There's lots of free online content that goes along with the book, and every time I'd settle in to read (on an airplane, in the car, at the orthodontist's office), I'd stumble over the fact that I didn't have my computer with me to look at the additional content while I was reading. I had only managed to work my way through about 2/3 of the book so far.

I didn't finish reading last night, but I did get to the root of what was bugging me the most: the script. I wanted to see some examples of effective first-day scripts, and I found a couple with great ideas on the Wong's free website! I've started building a fun and informative PowerPoint with basic rules and classroom procedures.

Yes, in spite of myself, I did write some procedures, even without knowing exactly how my room will be set up! I decided to just force it, and I did leave some blank bullet points.

You may think that 5th graders are too young for a PP presentation. Rest assured, I'm keeping it simple. And this is a novelty to them at this age! They are not like the PowerPointed-to-death college students who would rather pull out their eyelashes with duct tape than sit through another booooring slideshow. Most of these kiddos have probably never seen a PowerPoint at all. I have the luxury of making it fun and adding animation. :) And I'm designing it as an outline to remind me to hit all the important points, rather than typing out all of the information, so the information will be coming from me, not a succession of slides.

I was up until 1:30 working on my script. I still need to brainstorm on it a little more, but I feel so much more settled since I have the framework started! My stomach still feels like a rocking boat, but today it's more like a canoe and less like a cruise ship.

Like a Rocking Boat

2011-08-08T09:22:00.000-05:00

To coin a phrase from Aaron, my stomach feels like a rocking boat. I'm not sleeping well at all, and when I'm awake I'm anxious, nervous and excited all rolled into one mega emotion. This Friday is new teacher orientation. I'm a little concerned about it because the schedule implies that they will dominate my entire day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., including a working/networking lunch. At the very heart of me, I am an introvert and very reflective. I need space, at least for a few minutes, to gather my thoughts when I'm feeling overwhelmed or when I'm in a new situation. While I was long-term subbing at the end of last year, I learned that I'm usually one of "those teachers" who doesn't lunch in the lounge. I prefer to sit in my room, gather my thoughts and use the time to prepare or decompress. Alone.

And I still don't know what my first day with my kids will look like. I can't even begin to think about my first-day script or procedures until I know how my room will be set up. I know that's strange, but it's just the way I am. I don't have a good sense of theoretical spatial organization - I need to actually be in the space and see it.

We did finish painting my room Saturday! Pressly was such a sweetheart to help me, and several people who came in said it was a "relaxing" or "calm" color. Perfect! I'm accenting with bright, stimulating colors like orange, tropical blue, lime and hot pink so the kids won't immediately fall asleep. But calm is definitely what I was going for.

I have been creating lots of new letter cutouts for my class walls and have some other ideas that I want to vet out once I have my room set up.

I had a nightmare last night that I got into my room and the kids' desks were all mis-matched. Some of them were the newer sturdy tan and blue desks, others were half pink, half yellow, even others were the old melamine (fake wood) desks, so when I tried to arrange the desks in groups of 4, they were all different heights. Crazy stuff my brain comes up with, but since I don't even know what kinds of desks will be in there, it's a valid fear, I guess. They waxed the floors over the weekend - I'm hoping they put furniture back today.

So the Power of God Can Be Seen

2011-08-03T18:48:00.000-05:00

I have a dear friend who is battling pancreatic cancer. The crazy thing is I didn't even know her a year ago, and we've never shared a meal or even spent much time together. But I have grown to love her and her precious family over the past year as we've gotten to know them through their children's ministry at our church. Their son was in the class I was assigned to the last two months of last school year, and their daughter loves to pester Aaron by chasing him around and acting like a typical little girl (squealing, giggling, and generally being silly) during youth activities.

Beth and her husband Dave have very openly and honestly blogged about the entire journey So the Power of God Can Be Seen. So far nothing about her journey has been medically typical. We are praying for a miraculous healing. Please visit their blog and add them to your prayer list. You can read about her diagnosis under "Our Life Changing Week" and catch up on all they've been through by reading the archives.

Ozone

2011-08-03T14:59:00.001-05:00

I thought I had decided on a color for my classroom, but the more I looked at it, the more I felt it was a bit too bright. I chose a few shades lighter than carribean blue, but it didn't provide the serene feeling I was going for. So I stood in front of those racks at Home Depot and looked and looked and looked. Aaron tried to help, but he kept choosing colors named things like cherry red, competitive orange and sunshine yellow. Uh, not exactly what I was looking for, but thanks anyway, kiddo!

I knew when I found the shade I would just know it. Finally I laid my grubbies on a sample from the Behr Ultra display. Ozone. It's perfect: a pale greyish-blue shade that is calming and acts as a nice background for the other very brightly colored things I've already chosen for my room. It's blue, but not baby-nursery blue, and I think it's fairly gender-neutral. At any rate, it's the color that will go on my walls because I've spent the money now!

Huge thanks to Home Depot for this color swatch.

Malfunction

2011-08-03T09:28:00.000-05:00

Aaron walked out of his room at 7:00 this morning holding one of the big blue glue chunks that are supposed to keep his teeth from closing all the way. I called the ortho as soon as they opened at 8 and got an appointment for 11. As soon as I hung up, he also presented me with a bracket from one of his molars. It's from the same tooth the glue plate was on. Good thing they can get us in today!

Random

2011-08-02T19:47:00.006-05:00

This is Spencer. He used to be my sister Jessica's dog, but now he's ours! He's such a sweet boy. And maybe a little sassy, too. Check out those crossed paws.

Speaking of sassy, Aaron snapped this picture of me on the way to church Sunday. I still can't believe I have only ONE chin after all these years. It catches me off guard when I see a photo of myself. I wonder if I'll ever get used to the way I look now?

I went today to see what kind of progress has been made on the construction in our building. My classroom is almost complete. They just need to put a few more ceiling tiles in place. I am going to buy paint tomorrow. I'm not sure photos can do the scene justice, but I'll try:

I'm not sure the colors are right in these photos. The walls are sunshine yellow, orchid purple, teal and Pepto pink. When I first saw my room, the lights were off and in the dim lighting, I though the colors were pretty cool. After going back and actually seeing them with the lights on, I realized that: a) I don't care for the color combo at all - in fact, I have a very unsettled feeling when I'm in there; and b) the walls are really dirty and marked up. I think I'm going to paint all four walls a serene shade of blue and if that goes well, I might add a lime green stripe.

Having all brand new ceiling tiles already makes the place look clean and fresh. Once I get everything painted, I hope it's a relaxing, welcoming place for my kiddos.

In other news, I did spot a teacher's desk in the hallway with my room number on it, so I will at least have a desk. Not sure what else will be there. I plan to write a before/after post once I get all moved in and settled in my new classroom!

Back to the Future... Waayyy back

2011-07-31T07:34:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Netflix, we got to expose Aaron to some retro sci-fi goodness last night!

Photo Credit

First, I did not remember it being so racy way back when. Hopefully my sweet, innocent son missed the peeping tom, questionable language, and the attempted rape scene. Wow. It's crazy how differently you see something when you are a parent vs. a pre-teen. There were several times Pressly and I shared a surprised glance.

Second, Pressly had to explain to the young 'un what a cassette tape was. Oh geez.

If I had a working Walkman, I might buy Aaron this cassette.

I think Aaron love the soundtrack to the movie more than the actual content. He was dancing around all over the living room at the end, and when I giggled he said, "What? It's Rock and Roll! I have to move!!" Looks like we need to download some Huey Lewis and the News for him. That's my boy!

Frolicking With the Fishes

2011-07-30T19:30:00.004-05:00

Aaron has been begging to go to the Dallas World Aquarium for several weeks. We've been half a dozen times, but he just loves it. Or the idea of it. The problem is that we can only go there when the rest of the free world is also available to go. C.R.O.W.D.E.D. We decided on the spur of the moment today to head over there. If you get there early (within an hour of opening), parking is not too bad and the line to get in isn't horrendous.

This Sloth lives on some trees in the middle of the walkway. It is not separated from the public by rope, wire, a cage, or anything. I could have reached out and touched it, but there were ample signs discouraging such behavior. Don't think I wasn't tempted, though. It was down lower this time than I've ever seen it, just about eye-level. Sooo hard to mind the rules. And apparently my phone LOVED the lighting here, because this picture turned out pretty great.

The talks and feedings (especially the feedings!) are awesome, but if you want a good spot, you have to arrive at the exhibit early and camp out while people crush in around you. Aaron does not do well in crowds, so we don't hang around for the feedings. We did stumble upon a talk on the Two-Toed Sloth. Pretty cool to watch those critters eat green beans and carrots and learn a little about them. Aaron was especially impressed to learn that because of a really slow metabolism, they poop only once a week. I did have to clue him in on the definition of defecate. Then he giggled. A lot.

Contrary to its name, it is not JUST an aquarium.

In fact, it's mostly not an aquarium. It's very educational if you take time to stop and read about the exhibits.

I couldn't get a shot of the giant anteater, but here's a picture of Aaron reading about it.

All of these photos are from my phone. The quality isn't fantastic, but we've been so many times we didn't feel like hauling around a camera today. Plus my neck's been telling me to lighten up my purse lately, so I didn't have room in the micro bag I carried today.

Aaron's most favorite thing at the DWA are these garden eels. They are pretty darn cool! They almost never leave their burrows, and they are very territorial. They are also very scared of fish that swim by.

I'm pretty sure Oscar the Grouch's friend Slimey was actually a garden eel.

This Jaguar doesn't need a mate. He's taking care of himself just fine... Incidentally, this is a different one than they had last year. She was a she. And solid black. I remember feeling so sorry for her because she just paced the perimeter of her glass cage the entire time we were there.

Shhhh.... I'm hidin' under this leaf. I learned it from the chameleon:

I can't remember the name of this fish bit it was a something-nose something-or-other. I caught it sticking its tongue out at me.

And that little blue streak near its gill is another fish that it would let swim INSIDE its gill, presumably for a mutually beneficial munchy. (I'm pretty sure it's not dead. It just likes the way the water feels flowing over its tongue. Or something.)

This is a fish. It's swimming in some water.

Teehee. Piggybacking...er...

Aaron thinks it's both funny and cruel that the flamingoes' habitat abuts the lip of the 21' deep shark tank. I'm pretty sure he keeps asking to go back to the DWA because he wants to see one fall in and get eaten.

This is wildlife was on temporary loan to the DWA. It probably will not be on exhibit when you visit. (That expression? It's his this better not end up of Facebook look.) No worries, hon...

Cute, TINY tortoises!

Black-footed penguins. These live in warm climates, so they are perfectly suited to the Texas heat!

Look toward the left on the edge of the rock - there is a penguin lying down. He is very, very old and blind. The penguin standing at the center of the rock appeared to be protecting the old one and refused to leave that spot, even when the others swam by.

Don't worry, the Manatee did not actually fall on Aaron's head.

Or emerge from his chest.

Seahorses! They're my favorite.

See? Awesomesauce.

After the DWA, we headed to Dave & Buster's for lunch and a little more fun.

Pressly will probably divorce me for putting two photos of him on the internets in one day, but look how intent he is on winning that game!

In an apparent attempt to prolong the sealife experience, Aaron ordered shrimp. It had to be cut into tiny pieces before he could eat it because his mouth is still sore.

The day wasn't ALL fun and games. I made them help me get groceries at Walmart on the way home, after which Pressly felt it necessary to reaffirm his complete and total hatred for that establishment.

Fun with the Cricut

2011-07-29T12:27:00.004-05:00

Pressly bought me the Cricut Expression for Christmas in 2008, along with Make The Cut software so I could cut a variety of fonts not available through Provo Craft / Cricut and manipulate the layout on my computer before cutting. My very first project was to make layered folder labels for my next semester of school. As you might imagine, I was the envy of all my School of Education peeps. Yes, we are a crafty (and covetous) bunch. :)

I've made a number of other things, including some great layered letter cutouts for my student teaching mentor. And now I'm using it to create for my very own classroom! I'm so excited to be able to choose different fonts and cut them in any color combo I choose, instead of being relegated to whatever is available at the teacher supply stores.

The layered letter process is a multi-step one that involves choosing a font, laying out the design with the computer software to get the best use of each 12"x12" sheet of paper, choosing the paper(s), cutting, then gluing the layers together.

Sometimes too much choice is not necessarily a good thing. I started pulling paper out of my stash and realized I might have a small addiction.

Okay, let's be real. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love paper. Lots and lots of paper. In different textures, colors, weights, and patterns. Love.

So of course, I got the paper out first and fondled it...erm...studied my choices...

Then I actually powered on the Cricut and opened my handy dandy software.

First up - for the bulletin board outside my classroom:

(No, my bulletin board does not look like 18" floor tiles. That's on my floor because I can't get into my classroom to work for another week or so.)

First, I laid out the letters using my software, then chose papers, mounted them on the cutting mats, and started the cutting:

This software is really cool because it shows you what it's cutting as it cuts! Too bad Provo Craft (the company who makes the Cricut) sued Make The Cut and they can no longer sell their software for the Cricut platform.

After cutting four separate sheets, everything was ready to assemble:

The mat you see standing up is an example of what I have after I pull off all the excess paper. I then have to carefully remove each letter from the mat.

I applied adhesive to the backs of the smaller top layer pieces, then applied them to the fatter bottom layer:

I use Elmer's no-wrinkle rubber cement because if I get sloppy, I can rub off the excess after it dries. Plus, no wrinkles.

(The letters, not necessarily me.)

And, then, like cooking-show majick, the final product:

I also made letters for my read around kiosk:

See the two "&" signs? That's because they will be mounted in a circle and the phrase will never end. "Look around and read and look around and read and..." Get it? I need to laminate these before I attach them to the kiosk; I'll post a picture of that once it's done.

I also plan to make letters for my Word Wall and my Academic Vocabulary wall, but I need to find out whether I have time to paint my room first. The walls are currently purple, yellow, blue and pink. I'd like to change the color scheme, so whether I have time to paint will dictate the colors of those letters.

Next up? Buckets of Fun...

Gettin' Crafty

2011-07-28T17:31:00.004-05:00

As I've been preparing for my first year teaching, I've had a great time crafting several things for my classroom. I saw someone else's idea for a round "kiosk" where the teacher and students could post real-life examples of things we read every day. I loved the idea, but there were no instructions on the website for constructing one. I noodled on it for a while, then thought I needed to find some aluminum sheet I could fashion into a tube. I asked Pressly's advice, and he suggested any kind of metal would probably end up being way too heavy. I told him I needed a tube at least 18" in diameter and 4 feet long. He suggested the round cardboard forms used for pouring concrete pillars. That sounded like a great idea!

I did what anyone who lives in the boondocks does: I searched online for it. I did find some, but I also found that anything larger than a 12" diameter was really too expensive. One day a few weeks later we were at Home Depot where they carry 12". After looking at them I decided that was plenty big. We bought one, then I headed to Hobby Lobby for paint, ribbon, a roll of cork board, and "some kind of circular wood" for the top.

After gathering up all my supplies, they sat for a week or so as I considered how the project would best be achieved. I finally started by priming and painting the tube. That part went pretty well, so I painted the round wood plate I bought for the topper. Another success!

Then I decided it was time to break out the 3M permanent spray adhesive and attach the cork board. Uh. Not such a success. I ended up getting the cork on crooked. Did I mention the adhesive was permanent? Yeah. Thankfully it was only off by 1/4" or so, and I easily used my high-temp glue gun to cover the crooked line with a ribbon border. Only the ribbon was also crooked. WAY, WAY crooked.

So I pulled out a measuring tape and a red marker and measured off a straight line all the way around. Then I went back to Hobby Lobby and bought some fabric and some more ribbon. This time I slowed down and made sure to attach the fabric in a straight line around the top of the cork board, and viola! Success! I then used my handy-dandy high temp glue gun to attach the top. Now I just need to buy a 5 gallon bucket and a bag of playground sand to create a weighted base and it's all ready! I'm super excited about the possibilities.

Next up? Fun with the Cricut...

Ant Update

2011-07-28T13:49:00.002-05:00

Got a call about 12:15 from the tech for the supposedly local exterminator I called this morning. He needed to know how far toward Rockwall he had to go on 149 out of Terrell since his GPS wasn't finding the address. First, that's FM 148 in Terrell, and it changes to FM 205 if you head toward Rockwall. Second, I live on County Road 149. In Kaufman. Third, I'm certain the words "toward Kemp" and "near Becker" came out of my mouth when I scheduled the appointment this morning. Both of those would have been HUGE location clues to any local company.

This is the company who did our pest inspection when we bought the house. Apparently they have been sold since then.

It is now 12:50 p.m., and I can see a slow-moving white vehicle rounding the big curve on CR 146. That's either our pokey neighbors who drive 15 MPH all the time, or I gave good directions... Back in a few with a report...

...Okay, I'm back and need to eat some crow. I'm a negative nelly. They are still local, they've just changed the name of their pest control branch. The guy was super, duper nice and the dispatcher gave him the wrong address, so it wasn't his fault at all.

He sprayed the entire outside of the house, roof to foundation and the inside, paying special attention to the bathroom, and he guaranteed his work for 3 months. And his eyes lit up when I mentioned something about spiders not grooming, and therefore only being affected by a contact kill. Sometimes all this useless trivia comes in handy. Like when I need to impress the bug guy with my vast knowledge. *chuckle*

The culprits are Pharaoh's Ants :

This awesome photo was taken by Alex Wild

Makes perfect sense, because one of the things they feed on is toothpaste. Guess what gets splattered all over Aaron's countertop on a regular basis? Here's hoping it won't take the full 2 weeks for them to be gone. On the flip-side, I am more than a little bit sad that all our Praying Mantises will probably croak. I do love those little buggers and have enjoyed finding lots of babies as I've worked in the flower beds this summer.

This one's from National Geographic, and if you click the link you can read more about the Mantis religiosa.

Ants

2011-07-28T11:00:00.002-05:00

And not the cute animated kind, either. Aaron's bathroom has been overrun by them. Our super-duper-kill-everything bug killer only takes care of the ones that are around. By 8:30 p.m., more start moving in. Last night, they covered the entire vanity inside and out and made weird clusters up the walls. ICK. This was the third night in a row we had seen and sprayed them. And each subsequent night they have come back in larger numbers.

Pressly looked at me and said, "I know when I'm in over my head. Call an exterminator tomorrow."

So I did. He'll be here at 12:30. Hopefully it's an easy fix due to a mound under the foundation. And not a colony in the walls.

The good news: They don't bite. I don't know what kind they are, but they sort of look like what my mom used to call sugar ants. And the boy down the road called piss ants.

That's "Metal Mouth" To You.

2011-07-27T14:28:00.004-05:00

We are done for now and he did great! We have to go back in 2 weeks for expander fittings - they will have to be custom made because his mouth and teeth are small.

Good thing he's excited about having these because he looks pretty goofy!

I've been informed that I am allowed to call him Metal Mouth as often as I wish, but never, ever, ever Brace Face. Or Baby.

p.s. Those orange bands glow in the dark. Pretty cool, huh?

Brace Face

2011-07-27T08:25:00.002-05:00

Soooo... Aaron's getting braces today. It's something HE has been asking for since he was 8 when his permanent teeth started coming in all wonky. I just hope he holds it together at the orthodontist's office. He seems to be very cool about going to the dentist these days (such a nice change from the screaming-through-the-sedation visits of his early childhood). And he adores his chiropractor, so doctor visits seem like something he has under control. Except...

After years of optometrist visits, he doesn't even blink when it's time for an eye exam. Until we switched doctors and this new one wanted to put stinging drops in his eyes. Not. Good. I think part of it was nerves over going to a new doctor. And part of it was those dang stinging drops. In his eyes.

He really, really wants braces. He's been self-conscious about his teeth for several years. I hope that desire holds him over if there's any discomfort in the chair today. I don't even know what to tell him to expect because I never had braces.

Color me flummoxed

2009-09-04T22:21:00.002-05:00

I did not vote for Obama and still am not sure I'm a fan - I need to see him materially deliver on some of his promises before I can be won over.

However, I do NOT understand why people are so up in arms over his speech to our nation's school children. As a kid, I can remember being enthralled when listening to President Reagan. Kids look up to the president. Why is it a bad thing for kids to get encouragement to be responsible and take their education seriously? I just don't get it.

I'm fairly certain that if the tables were turned, the other side would be in a tizzy. But it all just seems so darn silly, and I do not understand why the controversy has reached a fever pitch. How amusing that we consider ourselves an educated and civilized people. Educated and civilized my ass - the rest of the world is pointing and laughing at our asinine behavior.

Back to School

2009-08-25T09:21:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was Aaron's first day of 4th grade. I could write pages full of stuff like, "where has all the time gone?" and such, but that's so blase. Instead, I figured I'd share his first-day antics.

At 6:45 when I went in to wake him, he informed me that he is "severely allergic to Mondays." No anaphylaxis ensued, so I took him on to school after feeding him a yummy omelette and some toast.

He doesn't look like he's too allergic.

When I picked him up, he was almost bouncing. He had a great day, which is good news because, you know, his severe allergy could have gotten in the way. *snicker*

He had lots of great stories to tell about his new teachers, and was very excited that one of his teachers filled them in on the truth behind some rumors about her. I sort of think he was more excited about the fact that she also detailed the rumors for them... This kid is oblivious to things going on outside his immediate sphere, so he had no idea about her supposed bad behavior. Apparently, there was a rumor that she threw a kid against the wall, which is absurd considering this teacher, but he was wide-eyed and buzzing with the excitement of relaying the story to me.

Fun times - now if the second day goes as well as the first, we'll be in business!

The Young Sage

2009-07-02T05:12:00.002-05:00

Aaron: "Mom, Michael Jackson died."
Me: "Yes, he did."
Aaron: "He looked creepy."
Me: "He didn't always look that way. He had surgery to change the way he looked."
Aaron: "Oh."
. . .
Aaron: "Who was he, anyway?"

Freebie-cycle

2009-05-16T09:39:00.006-05:00

Freecycle is a fantastic network that allows people to re-home unneeded items. The benefit is two-pronged: 1) the items don't end up in a landfill somewhere, and 2) people get stuff they need for free!

Around here, however, its name would be more appropriate if it were Gimme-cycle. One post out of 10 might be an offer for something. The rest are pleas for things people "desparately" need. The rules clearly state that you should always try to offer something if you request something, but as you might guess, that rarely happens.

Just for grins, here are this morning's posts from our local Freecycle list (misspellings and poor grammar are left intact; my comments and snarkiness are in italics):

From: Tasha
WANTED: Fencing, t-posted, barb wire materials
"Looking for barbwire, fencing, t posts, ect. will pick up any amount. Thank you"

From: Amanda
Wanted:Bunkbeds
"we are in need of bunkbeds, willing to pickup"
Wow - willing to pick up free bunk beds. These folks are serious!

From: gbuchanan
need parts for yardmachine
"I am trying to find a transmission for a yard machine riding lawn mower can anyone help i have a bent axle. Thanks"
Sounds like what you really need is a hammer, an anvil and some elbow grease.

From: alicia
wanted: microwave cart
In need of a microwave cart.
If someone out there is upgrading or down grading or just plain getting rid of their's- we'll be glad to take it off of your hands.
We're also looking for a new, unused spice rack. Thank you & God Bless
Because, you know, it would be tacky to give Aunt Edna an old, used spice rack for her birthday. Notice the "God Bless" - that makes her seem more sincere, dontcha think?

From: alicia
wanted: bookshelf
any type of bookshelf would help us out. We have tons of books that are just sitting any boxes that we'd rather be reading and have access to.
First, I'm going to guess that none of that ton of books are grammar or spelling texts. Next, it sounds like you might want to familiarize yourself with the public library: there, they have tons of books that are on shelves, and you would have access to any number of them, for FREE! (so you could sell your ton of books and maybe buy Aunt Edna that spice rack she's been dreaming of). Or you could, I don't know . . . take a book out of a box when you want to read it!

From: alicia
wanted: antenna rabbit ears
wanted working antenna rabbit ears for our t.v.
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
Um... rabbit ears? I don't think there is any help for you if what you want are rabbit ears. Didn't they quit making those in the '80s? And after the HD switchover, they'll make a great sweater drying rack.

From: alicia (yes, the same alicia; 4th post in a row, no offers for anything, even though we know she has a ton of books that she's not using)
wanted: window unit
We need a working a/c window unit. It's getting really hot and it's not even June yet. We have an 18 month old son and 5 year old. I just want to make sure they stay cool this summer. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
(but no God bless, so she must not REALLY want it that badly, but bonus points for playing the poor, helpless children card)

Apparently alicia is trying to furnish her entire house, but the stuff she's asking for is sort of pathetic, so I almost feel badly for making fun of her... but she does have a computer with internet, so...

And my VERY FAVORITE POST from today:

From: dwayne.h
wanted: pocket knives
im looking for any kind of pockt or boot knifes that i can get and and swords if u got them thank you dwayne
Please hurry because Doltoron from the fifth ring of Xansadalrupt has vanquished my high queen and I need the sword of Galgathanroy to slay him and free my queen. Okay, not really. I've got a booth at the fleamarket this weekend and I need some stuff to sell.

It's official!

2009-05-15T16:51:00.002-05:00

I just got my grades for the semester and I got all A's! WOO!

Just for the record, I never, ever, ever EVER want to take 21 hours again.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my husband and son who were more than understanding and self-sufficient while I played student. Thanks, guys!!

I have two more semesters before I student teach, and both of those will be regular 15-hour schedules. *whew*

Don't look now, but

2009-05-08T21:07:00.002-05:00

It seems common sense has made an unscheduled appearance. LOL The day our school decided to shut down due to a suspected case of the piggypiggyflu, the CDC chastised such actions, so instead of being closed until the 18th, we'll resume our regularly scheduled program on May 11th. Don't know yet whether we'll have to make up the missed time, but the general consensus is that TEA won't require schools to make up the time.

In other news, I have almost finished the semester from hades, and promise I will never, ever take 21 hours at at time again. I have one more test on Monday night that isn't worrying me too much, then I can officially say I'm done. Thanks to the support of a very helpful and understanding husband, I was able to concentrate on schoolwork when I really needed to, and it looks like I'll pull off another 4.0! Don't tell anyone, but I'm shooting to graduate magna cum laude, and it looks like I might just do it.

One of my professors tells me that I have what it takes to earn my PhD and get paid to do it, but I would have to be willing to relocate to a school that would offer me a fellowship. Unless that school is in the Dallas area or UT Tyler, that's not gonna happen. *sigh* I can't get caught up in the shoulda coulda wouldas, though - I have a pretty darn good deal going here - a fantastic, supportive husband and wonderful son who are both such blessings. And really, what would I do with a PhD at this point? Maybe I'll work toward that slowly if the public school teacher gig doesn't float my boat.

This little piggy...

2009-05-04T21:27:00.003-05:00

closed our freaking school down. Thanks to a friend who is in the "know," I found out about 5 minutes before it was posted as breaking news on our local newspaper website and about 10 minutes before the school sent me a Flash Alert at 9:00 p.m. There has been a "suspected" case in our district, so...

Hey folks, I know you sort of count on us watching your kids for, like, 8 hours a day while you make a living or do some other worthwhile stuff, but SURPRISE! we're closing down for two weeks, starting....NOW.

Seriously, it's not such a big deal for us because we have family that can help us out, and we actually got the message about there being NO SCHOOL TOMORROW, but what about those hundreds of parents rushing, rushing, rushing to make it to work on time tomorrow who drive up and find out that they gotta make some other arrangements for the next TWO WEEKS? Or what about those kids whose parents kiss them on the cheek and tell them to have a good day before they run out the door, leaving the kids to wait for the bus?

I am sooo thankful for family who can and is willing to help us out on such short notice! I have finals this week.

One Wish

2009-04-24T14:03:00.004-05:00

Aaron: Mom, if you could ask for anything in the world, but only ONE thing, what would it be?

Me: I'd wish for my family to always be happy.

Aaron: We'd be kinda creepy if we were happy all the time, like when someone dies.

Touche'.

Monday Amusement

2009-03-30T08:42:00.003-05:00

Seriously. From Gadling.com - some bizarre laws you may need to know if you enjoy international travel:

In Switzerland, a man may not relieve himself while standing up, after 10 P.M.
Oooookay.

It is an offense for women of "ill repute or evil looks" to enter a cheese factory in Italy's area of Ferrara.
Because everyone knows ugly women are cheese thieves.

In Lebanon, men are legally allowed to have sex with animals -- so long as the animals are female. It is illegal to have sex with a male animal, however.
So.... oh, forget it.

In Scotland, it is illegal to be drunk while in possession of a cow.
Nope. Better go to Lebanon if you plan on getting your drink on while accompanied by your favorite cow.

In Thailand, it is illegal to leave your house if you are not wearing underwear.
Who's gonna . . . oh, nevermind.

In China, women are prohibited from walking around a hotel room in the nude; a woman may only be naked while in the bathroom.
Because God forbid your bed or closet door be forced to ogle your nude boobies.

In Hong Kong, a woman is legally allowed to kill her cheating husband -- but only if she uses her bare hands. The husband's lover, however, may be killed in any manner desired.
This one made the list?

The Difference

2009-03-03T21:13:00.005-06:00

The difference between being a high achiever and an overachiever is slowly, painfully becoming clear to me. It's not something I've given much thought to during the past 10 years or so, but since I'm back in school and find myself being "graded," these concepts have thrust themselves back to the forefront.

I've always known I am a high achiever and do an especially great job when I really care about something or there is the promise of some sort of payoff (a good grade, a nice raise, some praise or a compliment from someone who 'matters'). It's just part of my personality and a trait I thank my mom for. The flip side is that tasks for which there is no reward or payoff are left to languish. For that, too, I can thank my mom. But you know what? I'll take the good with the bad - the net result is good!

Speaking of taking the good with the bad, I've sort of suddenly realized that I may not just be a high achiever, but an overachiever. This, I'm afraid, is not a good thing.

Case in point:
I find myself, having made the highest grade on a test, setting the literal and proverbial curve for the class, and being disappointed that I *only* made a 96. WHAT?!? That is craziness. Pure lunacy, I tell you. But it's true.

Case, part deux:
The professor picked my essay out of the entire pile of class submissions to illustrate his ideal. Awesome. Except look at that typo and that comma splice, and oh. my. God... he put my paper up on BlackBoard and now the whole class can see all my mistakes!

I've determined that I must be diligent to guard against the self-criticism, let go and just be happy with the 96, damn it. Now, if anyone can tell me how exactly to go about doing this, I'll be eternally grateful.

p.s. It was a 101 after the curve because I found an error in his grading after he'd added the curve so, bonus point!.
p.p.s. Okay, maybe I still have some work to do on this letting-go thing....

The Emperor's New Clothes

2009-02-18T19:07:00.007-06:00

Image copyright Louise August

In my Adolescent Literature class, we're reviewing fables, folktales and fairy tales. The best thing about these stories, I think, are the universal truths that are interwoven. I think my favorite folktale of all time is Hans Christian Andersen's "The Emperor's New Clothes."

A full version of the story can be found HERE, but my very favorite part is the end:

"But among the crowds a little child suddenly gasped out, "But he hasn't got anything on."

And the people began to whisper to one another what the child had said.

"He hasn't got anything on."

"There's a little child saying he hasn't got anything on."

Till everyone was saying, "But he hasn't got anything on."

The Emperor himself had the uncomfortable feeling that what they were whispering was only too true. "But I will have to go through with the procession," he said to himself.

So he drew himself up and walked boldly on holding his head higher than before, and the courtiers held on to the train that wasn't there at all."

By parading his folly around for everyone to witness, he made an even bigger fool of himself. In the classroom, stories like these are great to teach kids lessons about human nature as well as to use as a springboard for creative writing. For example, I wonder what the emperor did next?

It's also easier for kiddos to recognize and identify the the moral of a story and relate to their own lives when it isn't written directly about them. Even though this tale was written in the late 19th century, it still offers a valuable lesson.

p.s. If you like the print I used, you can purchase an image plate from the artist, Louise August

Camel Poop

2009-02-02T21:35:00.007-06:00

Aaron has learned to IM.

Well, to be fair, he has done a little IM-ing before, but only while one of us was standing by telling him what to type and do. Tonight I was sitting with my laptop in the living room and a Yahoo Instant Message popped up from Aaron (who was in his bedroom, a mere 25 feet away):

Aaron Bonner: you rock.[and smell.]

so, of course I responded ~
Jasmine Bonner: LOL
Jasmine Bonner: I don't smell as much as you
Jasmine Bonner: PeeeeEWWW
Aaron Bonner: ow ya
Aaron Bonner: like camel poop?

The internet is awesome. I did a quick Google image search for "camel poop" and found some real gems. Back when I was a kid, if I wanted photos of camel poo, I would have had to search a multitude of encyclopedias and scientific-type books, and even then, I may not have found one.

So, in honor of "Camel Poop:"

I have a new nephew!

2009-01-20T21:51:00.006-06:00

Welcome, sweet Christoper Michael!! I cannot wait to meet you and hold you and give you a smooch right on the forehead!

Unfortunately between school, 3+ hours in the car commuting, a kiddo of my own who needs some sort of schedule in order to function and a husband who is STILL plugging away at work as I type this (at nearly 10 pm), I couldn't get to the hospital, another hour+ drive each way, today. I'm going to try try try to go tomorrow morning, but if I can't make that work, It'll have to be on Friday since Thursday is a 14+ hour day for me.

WAH! I wanna meet my nephew!! I have a photo (thanks, Jaelan!!), but it wouldn't be fair for me to post that on the internet before my photographer sister gets the chance to post one of her own. He is, after all, her child.

January 18, 2009

2009-01-18T21:22:00.010-06:00

A day's worth of pictures. :)

Our relatively new kitty - we got him on Christmas Eve. He was nameless for a long time, then mom came to visit and decided his name must be Sylvester. I sort of think he looks like he just crawled out of the Pet Sematary in this picture.

Katy - THE happiest dog on the planet.

Sylvester and Chelsae are hunting partners.
No telling what they've got in their sights here.

Kitty and Katy are not the best of friends - maybe it's because
the cat doesn't respect Katy's toy boundaries.

Aaron thinks he and kitty ARE the best of friends.
I'm pretty sure I see fear in those feline eyes.

Forced kitty love. At least Sylvester's a pretty good sport about it. He purrs his fool head off when Aaron picks him up.

Sweet Chelsae Butter. She's getting to be an old girl!

Aaron and Daddy going over the airplane controls

This airplane was a Christmas gift for Pressly.

He and Aaron built it and he has deemed it Aaron's trainer.

Happy Birthday to my Fave Hippie!

2009-01-12T09:59:00.004-06:00

Here's an awesome cake from PinkCakeBox for my Dr. Seuss loving mom.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love ya'

Manna from ... heaven?

2009-01-09T20:44:00.003-06:00

I think once I poked fun at my sister Jessica for owning a rice cooker. Why would you buy a rice cooker? I think I said something to the effect of "I have a rice cooker - it's called a pan with a lid!"

After several failed attempts at cooking edible brown rice I decided to buy a cooker. The rice turned out perfectly and I didn't have to watch the pan for an hour or more!

So remembering some yummy cafeteria fare from my youth, I mixed some butter and brown sugar into the leftover rice, took a few bites then shared the rest with Aaron. His reaction? "This is SO DELICIOUS!!" I agree - it was pretty darn tasty. Plus, it was long grain brown rice, so it was chock full of fiber and other tasty nutrients. :D

I don't talk to hippies!

2009-01-08T21:12:00.005-06:00

Me: Are you ready for a hair cut? You’re starting to look like a hippie.

Aaron: What’s a hippie?

Me: (squirming a bit) A hippie is someone from the 1960’s and 1970’s who let their hair grow really long. They also didn’t follow all the laws or rules of society, but instead had their own ideas of how society should be and they believed in peace and love.

Aaron: Was your grandpa a hippie?

Me: No, my grandpa was not a hippie.

Aaron: Well, were any of your ancestors hippies? (ancestors?!?)

Me: No, Not that I know…. Oh wait! Your Nana was a hippie! (how could I have forgotten about my own MOM?)

Aaron: (in a fit of giggles) Really? Your mom was a hippie?

Me: Yep – you want to call her and ask her?

Aaron: No! I don’t talk to hippies!!

Me: You talk to your Nana all the time!

Aaron: That was before I knew she was a hippie.

Maybe someday I'll make us some cream cheese, alfalfa sprout and black olive sandwiches like his hippie grandma used to make for me.

You Can't Hit a Home Run Every Time

2009-01-08T20:46:00.004-06:00

Or so my wise husband says.

Christmas was really nice this year. I didn't battle the usual range of emotions I typically face around the holidays. Usually, I get really excited early (around Halloween), then in the midst of preparing for Christmas, sometime between Thanksgiving and the middle of December, I slip into a real funk. This year that wasn't the case at all, and it was so nice. I did miss the "up" part of the manic cycle a bit, but not having to deal with the "down" part was more than worth missing the euphoric phase.

So we prepared for Christmas, decorated the house, bought our gifts, wrapped most of them before Christmas eve, and had everything ready for Christmas. Here's where the not-hitting-a-homerun part comes in. Aaron's reaction to his Santa gifts was flat, to say the least. He got a new bicycle, some Batman legos he's been asking for, a game for his Wii, some puzzles and two coveted Webkinz. Oh, and a 4' tall stocking crammed full of stuff. He walked into the living room, looked at the bicycle, looked over it to see what was behind it, looked around the room without even cracking a smile then went for his stocking. Pressly and I were sort of just stunned. All we could do was look at one another and shrug.

In retrospect, I think we identified the problem. You see, Santa didn't bring Aaron anything that was on his list this year. Maybe because that blasted list contained things:
a) that simply don't exist (a particular Transformer Mini-Con that exists only on the video games)
b) which were unreasonable (the minifigures from various retired Lego sets selling for $50++ EACH on ebay - just the figures, not the sets!!)
c) that were simply not possible to get (a Webkinz that hasn't been released yet)

Oh, and his list changed about 48bazillion times. No exaggeration. (c'mon - I don't exaggerate!)

We explained to Aaron that Santa's magic can only stretch so far. I'm afraid the boy is doing the "math." He's very smart, but also a real dreamer who believes in magic and miracles. At least he hasn't cracked open the Encyclopedia to look up the entry on Santa Claus. (yet).

Success(es)!!!

2008-12-22T18:57:00.002-06:00

I got my grades for this semester - 4.0 bay-bee!

Pressly and I got all the Christmas cards addressed last night, and I actually got to the post office with them this morning!

I finally purchased frames and mats for some prints I've had for quite a while. Now I need to decide where I'm going to hang these beauties.

Many of our Christmas gifts are wrapped.

I got groceries and the last few stocking stuffers purchased today, so I don't have to fight the retail crowds any more!

I used up some brisket that's been in our freezer for a while - I made yummy taco soup with it!

Christmas Excitement

2008-12-21T12:10:00.006-06:00

We're in the midst of preparing for Christmas around here. Gifts have been purchased, (some have even been wrapped!), and school's out until early January.

Aaron built a fabulous Gingerbread house and only ate some of the frosting and candy decorations. As the photos progress, notice the direct correlation between the amount of frosting on the gingerbread house and the amount of frosting on Aaron's person.

And I got a pedicure with a gorgeous Christmas shade of red w/ red sparkles. It was over 70 degrees on Friday, hence the flip-flops. ;)
Pressly still has shopping to do, bless his heart. He'll be out in full force Monday with the rest of the last-minute-shopping crazies. I offered to buy for myself, but he would have none of that.

I designed and ordered our Christmas cards today (yes, I do realize it's December 21st. They will go in the mail tomorrow, and they will either show up before Christmas or after, but they will get there, at least!

Today Aaron and I are wrapping gifts, then I suspect I'll need to do some laundry - I'm pretty sure my poor husband wore the same pair of jeans to work today that he wore yesterday. Fun times!

No Stress

2008-12-10T22:07:00.003-06:00

I realized today that my skin has cleared up. I can't attribute it to any change in my skin care routine, but I have been aware of feeling calmer the past week or so. This first semester back at school has been thrilling and more gratifying than I could have possibly imagined. I'm sure at some point I'll be fed up with school and be ready to be done, but for now I just love learning.

Tomorrow I have two final exams and must turn in a field work report which I thought was a relatively minor assignment, but it turned into a 24 page monster. I think I did a good job on the report, and have no anxiety over the exams. I have to score a 52 on one of them to ensure an A for the semester, and I haven't calculated what I need on the other one because I only have 2 of the 4 grades for that class, but I'm confident that I'll pull an A in that class also. The only unknown is my writing class, and making an A in that class is contingent upon making a B+ or better on that paper. I never got to the point that I felt overwhelmed this semester (well, not after the initial adjustment period anyway). Granted, I took only 9 hours, but after being out of school for so long I didn't really know what to expect. Pressly, Aaron and I are adjusting to the changes that have come with shaking things up and I think we'll all survive. Next semester I'm taking 18 hours.

So maybe the title of my post isn't completely accurate. I do have a little bit of stress, but my psych teacher says small amounts of stress can be beneficial. At least my skin has cleared up. I never had breakouts as a teenager, but as a 33 year old woman, I'm paying my dues. Nice.

Oh, hug someone you love today. You never know when they might be gone for good.

Sly Fox

2008-12-07T20:26:00.005-06:00

Look at this sly fox we spotted hiding amongst the trees.

Don't worry - there aren't a lot of red foxes roaming the wilderness in Kaufman these days. Aaron has a report on the Cherokee tribe due Monday, and we've been working on it for almost two weeks now. He had to research their habitat, housing structure, food, and social habits and write a report with illustrations. While he presents his report to the class, he is supposed to have a 3-D visual aide. He wanted it to be a lot more elaborate, but mommy's paper mache and hot glue skills only go so far.

He is pleased with the final result, and has some very green fingers to prove his involvement in the proces. we needed to make trees, and I had originally thought we'd just paint some cotton balls. Have you ever tried to paint a cotton ball? It doesn't work. So plan B (improvisation is my middle name) called for a little water, some green food dye and the use of our clothes dryer. It worked, but cleaning the dryer wasn't so much fun.

Here's hoping A-Rock enjoys giving his report to the class. He's learned a lot about the Cherokee, including the fact that they were not nomadic and did not live in teepees. And some of the men wore scaplocks and 'porcupine roaches,' which you can Google if you want to know more.

Holiday Baking!

2008-11-26T20:47:00.011-06:00

Aaron brought home a small pumpkin from his fieldtrip to the pumpkin patch before Halloween. Somewhere between there and here, he hatched a scheme to make a pie with it. Not wanting to be the mommy who dashed his dreams, I agreed.

So I faithfully cleaned out the pumpkin and steamed it last weekend in preparation. And found out that even though my recipe says one 8" pie pumpkin is enough, this one wasn't. A mad search for pie pumpkins ensued, and I finally found a few at Brookshire's. I had to pick through what was left and find two that weren't rotten. Luckily, I got what we needed. So I steamed those last night. And managed to run the pan out of water, which smelled up the entire house.

Finally, FINALLY we had enough steamed pumpkin for a couple of decent pies. The next step was to make the glop smooth and creamy.

That stuff is messy! Eeeewww, my finger!

Once the pumpkin glop was sufficiently silky, Aaron and I rolled out the crusts.

Then we measured out all the ingredients. Aaron thinks it's funny that I crack eggs with a butter knife. Interesting how the granite guy forgot to mention that rounded edges on countertops do not lend themselves well to cracking eggs.

I let Aaron do the mixing. Power tools, y'know. Notice all the flour on his sleeves. He loves to cook!
(Don't worry - we didn't put any Karo Syrup in the pumpkin pie - it's for the pecan pies we're making next.)

Once Chef Aaron was satisfied that the mixture was adequately beaten, I poured it into the crusts.

The pies are in the oven now, and they smell yummy! Maybe I can get photos before the pies are desecrated so I'll have something to post about tomorrow.

It Never Hurts to Ask

2008-10-30T10:23:00.004-05:00

First, a little dose of humility:
Last Thursday, Pressly surprised me out of the blue with an iPhone 3G. I was surprised and more than a little touched. I was also quite enamored with my new phone. I found myself fondling it repeatedly on Friday any time I had a break from wrangling a class full of 5 year olds.

Friday night while I was at the football game to watch my youngest sister twirl, I was excited to show everyone some photos I had snapped with it. After showing it off a little, I put it back into my pocket and turned my head. About that time, Jaelan exclaimed, "Oh no!" and I looked just in time to see my phone fall. Jordan and her boyfriend graciously retrieved it for me. I was worried someone else would snatch it up before we could get to it. What I discovered next never even occured to me. The screen was shattered! Heartsick, I immediately called Pressly to tell him. I wanted to cry, but I was so upset and in the midst of many, many people I just couldn't.

I was just sick. Pressly suggested I go to the Apple store on Saturday and see if they would do anything at all. After hustling Aaron into the car (one badly stubbed toe and a walleyed fit later -- his toe, both of us may have been involved in the fit), I realized we were too late to make the appointment I had made with the Apple Geniuses. I decided we'd go ahead to the store and see if they could work me in, which they did! To my dismay, the only thing they would offer me was a replacement phone at the "promotional price" of $299. I calmly explained that I was not buying another phone for $299 and asked if there was anything else at all they could do. After going through the ranks, I ended up with the same answer. I really hoped they would offer to replace the screen for a reasonable price since, in my opinion, the fall should not have resulted in so much damage.

Still, the humility. I should not have taken such pride in a material possession.

I called Pressly to tell him the news and headed toward home. He had done some research and found a replacement screen for around $70 that he could replace himself.

It Never Hurts to Ask
This is a phrase my mom used to tell me all the time, but I've always had a problem practicing it. I have always felt like I am imposing if I ask for something outside of the norm or special consideration.

Once home from my fruitless trip the the Apple store, I posted my sad story on a message board for a group of friends who have been posting together on the internet for 10 years or so. One of my very wise virtual friends suggested I email Steve Jobs directly and tell him the story. She even provided an email address. I figured I didn't have anything to lose at that point, so Sunday night I sent an email to the address. It was pleasant and simply laid out the facts. Later that night, DH mentioned that he needed to order the screen and I half-jokingly told him not to bother because I had sent an email to Steve Jobs. He laughed at me and proceeded to order the screen.

By noon on Monday, I got a call from the general manager at the Apple store at NorthPark. She told me they were very sorry about my experience and that they want to replace my phone with a brand new one at no cost!! She then apologized that I'd need to come back to the store to facilitate the replacement. Hello? I'll spend some time and a little gasoline for that!

I hope I didn't come off as unappreciative on the phone because I think my reaction was a little flat. I was honestly in total shock and didn't know how to respond. That's not at all what I had in mind when I wrote in my email, "Is there anything Apple is willing to do for us?"

And since I closed my letter by telling Mr. Jobs that I would love to be able to tell friends and family how well Apple treated us when a freak accident caused unreasonable damage to my BRAND NEW phone (which incidentally, was our first Apple purchase ever):

APPLE ROCKS!!!!

soooo Sick

2008-10-28T19:24:00.003-05:00

I'll be MIA for a while longer because I am SICK. This is what I get for bragging to someone recently that I have never had a flu shot and never get the flu. Don't think it's the flu, but I'm not a good sickie. Oh, and spending 7 hours a day with kindergarteners probably doesn't help. Do you realize that those little buggers are, well, booger factories? Ew. I have a funny story about subbing Kindergarten last Friday that I'll maybe write about when I feel better.

TTFN

I Spy

2008-10-23T09:21:00.010-05:00

I see you, there, in that minivan. Yes, you. I saw you buying that 6-pack of chilled Natural Light at 7:15 this morning, too. Don't fool yourself - that Trident you bought won't erase the stench that was already on you... Stiffler's mom, you're going to have to change your wardrobe before you become a teacher. You're 40 and pretty, but your daughters must be embarrassed when you show up looking like that at Open House... Aspiring poet, you are not as fabulous as you think. You really should come to class, and quit prowling around Facebook when you are here because if you get busted, you'll screw it up for all of us who use our laptops for legitimate reasons... Trip-trop, trip-trop, who's that on my bridge? It is WAY too early in the day for your feet to be hurting that much. Maybe your too-cute boots weren't the best choice for traipsing all over campus today?...

Redemption!

2008-10-21T10:24:00.004-05:00

Got my second paper back from my Writing and Literary Analysis class today.

My professor spent the entire class reading examples of people's papers and showing examples of secondary sources and credentials. He put up my paper to exemplify what I think is gross overstatement of the paper's topic (it is, however, how he wants us to write, so it was a good example). He also showed one of my source credentials and a copy of a Peanuts comic strip I included to clarify an allusion that one of my secondary sources made.

It was quite enlightening to see my paper displayed on that huge screen at the front of class because there were several typos (which he does not count off for!) Given the number of times that I edited and re-printed that paper, I thought it was perfect. Oops.

The last time he returned papers, I was excitedly confident that my writing was so good it would exempt me from any further assignments. Seriously - I half expected him to write "You have nothing more to learn! A++ for the class." (Narcissistic much?) This time, I sat in anguish waiting to see what the grade was. I kept running through my mind the things he said people didn't get right, and trying to remember what I had done on my paper. And remembering that we have only 3 or 4 grades for the whole semester and if I didn't make an A on this one, I could probably forget making an A in the class.

Anyway, in his rambling, I also learned that if you quote the Bible, he doesn't want it written as an actual quote, and he says the Bible doesn't belong on the Works Cited page, even though MLA standards say it does belong.

He said there were lots of people whose grades suffered because they still aren't following his prescribed formula. *Whew,* am I glad I caught on quickly!*

Last Page Comments: Good Job! A

*yay*

My First Substitute Assignment

2008-10-20T17:04:00.003-05:00

Sooo.... I was really excited to get on the sub list in our school district. Everyone I've talked to says it's really tough to get a job in KISD, and I believe it, given the number of applications I've submitted over the last year+ for different positions in the district with absolutely no response. I've been told that they really like to hire off the sub list, and if I have a good track record once I graduate, I'll be more likely to get a teaching job in the district.

Last Friday was my first sub assignment. Aaron's friend's mom is the secretary at the Early Childhood Center (Pre-K and Kindergarten) and is in charge of calling subs. I asked her to call me anytime and she called right away! I subbed for the art teacher, and thought it would be a really fun day, if a little stressful because it was my first ever sub assignment. I was secretly relieved that my first experience would be with the little ones instead of the High School or Jr. High.

Oh my, what an education *I* got!

I learned:

-Never, ever, under any circumstances wear a distracting or otherwise interesting shirt when subbing with the under-6 set. I wore a scoop neck 3/4 sleeve shirt that was printed with a cityscape and accented with sequins and beads. D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T-I-O-N!

-It's not a good idea to pause the movie to try to get the kiddos to calm down when they are being too noisy. Apparently, it's a sign for them to get up, play with one another's hair, dance, sing, spin around, etc.

-Late afternoon is a time when various kiddos may or may not need to be medicated or re-medicated, even though their pediatrician may not necessarily think so. Or maybe they need to have had less sugar at lunch. Or a nap. If you try to make a special consideration for one of these kids, to keep them from disrupting the class, the other kids will not appreciate being "left out."

-A LOT of what I've learned in school this semester sounds really fantastic, but just does not work in the real-world. Seriously. Too bad we don't live in an ideal society with ideally behaved kids and ideal situations, because a lot of the stuff my education profs have said really made sense.

-Sometimes you have to raise your voice to get Kindergarteners to line up in a straight line with their hands behind their backs and a bubble in their mouths.

Fun, eh?

Seriously, I did enjoy the day and am looking forward (with maybe a teensy bit of trepidation) to subbing at the High School on Wednesday.

:D

Hey Mom, if you were...

2008-10-16T18:46:00.000-05:00

I picked Aaron up from tutoring this afternoon, as I do every Tuesday and Thursday. He was in a pretty good mood. Most days this isn't the case because he *HATES* to go to tutoring. He doesn't really need the extra help and would much rather he were allowed to run about the school like a wild Indian instead of doing homework and reading. But it's a great solution for our Tuesday/Thursday after-school care needs -- At $5 per day, it beats the heck outta $65/week for him to go to daycare for those two days.

He was particularly bubbly and chatty, telling me about the make-believe game of Kirby baseball he and two friends made up and played at recess.

Aaron was really proud of his contribution to the game: He decided that he would have "infinite poison balls," his friend Chaz would have "infinite tornado balls" and his friend Brandon would have "infinite icicle balls." Now before you start giggling uncontrollably, there is no anatomical reference here. These are like baseballs, except they pack quite a (makebelieve) wallop and apparently the goal of THIS (fantasy) game is to pelt your opponents with your special (pretend) power balls in order to put them out of commission, which is admittedly nothing like the actual game of Baseball. This, my friends, is the sort of thing you get when three very intelligent 3rd grade boys get together to make up games on the playground.

Aaron has always had a very VERY active imagination and I'll confess that he has been known to exasperate me. A lot. Because he wants everyone to be as excited and involved in his fantasy as he is, and some days I just don't.have.the.energy.

So while we drove along, he chattered on and I nodded my head and interjected the occasional "Oh really?" or "Wow!" hoping that I seemed interested. We were almost home and he had been busily chatting about this mindless game for quite some time (7 minutes, 13 seconds) when he turned to me and said, "Hey Mom?" And I thought "enough already!!", but sweetly said, "Yes?"

" -- if you were a millipede, would you have some sort of mechanism to tell you when a trap door spider was nearby?"

Well, I should hope so! But more importantly, if I were a millipede, I would be able to justify more shoes.

Money Makes the Monkey Dance

2008-10-15T08:42:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, I had my first assignment due in my literary analysis & writing class. Since English and grammar are sort of my thing, I was really excited about the paper. I was lucky enough to have Sally Awalt as my English/Language Arts teacher in high school, not once but twice. She taught freshman English the year I entered high school, then moved to senior English the year I was a senior. She really pushed us on composition and literary analysis and it's something I enjoyed and did really well at. In the college classes I've taken before, I've honed my writing skills and gotten excellent feedback from professors. If there's one thing I know how to do, it's write an essay!

So our first assignment in ENGL 3308 was to analyze protest poetry written by feminists in the 1960's. I enjoyed the assignment, even though I don't really identify with the ideas in many of the poems we read. I threw myself into writing the paper and had it ready well before the due date. I even had it proofread by a friend who is a writer by trade. She had a few suggestions, but said the paper was great. I was excited to turn the paper in, and really amped the day we got the papers back. I couldn't wait to see all the accolades and compliments he was sure to have written! I couldn't wait to see the affirmation of my mad writing skillz and see all the ways in which I'd impressed my professor.

The day he returned our papers, the professor said there were 9 A's in the class. He said, "They don't call me Dr. A for nothing!" In a class of 23, with 9 A's, I was feeling very confident. For the next hour, he stood at the front talking about good things people had done, things that needed improvement, etc. He read excerpts from some peoples' papers as examples. At the end of the class he returned our papers and I anxiously flipped through, noticed a few corrections he made and finally got to the final page where he had written:

"Develop your allusion more thoroughly. Very readable writing style." B+

WHAT!?!?!

I was really disappointed, to say the least. After getting over my initial reaction, I could see the things that kept me from making an A. It didn't matter that my paper was really well written because I didn't follow the formula he gave us. I thought I had to just make an allusion, not develop it. I thought the formula he had prescribed was a suggestion, but realized he meant for us to follow it exactly. I thought I could make statements based on general historical knowledge without prefacing it with "I think" or "It is my understanding" or "I believe." He dinged me for not citing sources for statements like "In the late 18th century blacks in America were regarded as being unintelligent and better suited to physical labor." So instead, I should have written "As I understand American history...." Whatev.

It's a very boring way of writing, not at all what I'd expect to do in an upper level university course, but as Pressly says, "money makes the monkey dance" so the paper I turned in yesterday was tedious to write, I found it boring in nature and there were several phrases that suffered from chronic overuse, but I'll be damned if he's going to penalize me for writing well this time! I even had him edit my rough draft on our prescribed "writing day" where we are excused from class to write or can come to class to get his input.

A Little Humor

2008-10-14T09:33:00.001-05:00

One of the guys I used to work with sent me this in an email (thanks, Scott!) and I thought it was pretty funny, so I figured I'd share it. I suppose we have been able to remain optimistic since we know the markets are cyclical and we are young enough to just ride it out.

New Market Terms

BULL MARKET - A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius.

BEAR MARKET - A 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewelry, and the husband gets no sex.

P/E RATIO - The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the market keeps crashing.

BROKER - What my broker has made me.

STANDARD & POOR - Your life in a nutshell.

CEO - chief embezzlement officer.

CFO - corporate fraud officer.

STOCK ANALYST - Idiot who just downgraded your stock.

STOCK SPLIT -- When your ex-wife and her lawyer split your assets equally between themselves.

MARKET CORRECTION - The day after you buy stocks.

CASH FLOW - The movement your money makes as it disappears down the toilet.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR - Past year investor who's now locked up in a nuthouse.

MOMENTUM INVESTING - The fine art of buying high and selling low.

VALUE INVESTING - The art of buying low and selling lower.

'BUY, BUY' - A flight attendant making market recommendations as you step off the plane.

FINANCIAL PLANNER - A guy who actually remembers his wallet when he runs to the 7-11 for toilet paper and cigarettes.

CALL OPTION - Something people used to do with a telephone in ancient times before e-mail.

PROFIT - Religious guy who talks to God.

Random.

2008-10-10T12:48:00.000-05:00

Old Dog, New Trick

Our dog Chelsae, who is 14 years old, has learned that if she scratches at the door I'll get up. She's been house trained as long as we've had her (about 12 years) and all that time, scratching the door = "I need to go out." It's taken ME a few weeks to realize that she has a new trick. Apparently she's not the only one around here who is getting older! I thought maybe she was just getting fickle in her old age. It all became clear the other day when she scratched, I got up and went to the door and instead of just backing away like she had done several times before, she walked into the kitchen started doing the Feed Me dance. Her bowl was empty. She gets a little panicky when her bowl is empty and more than just a little panicky when she sees us reaching all the way to the bottom of the dog food bag to fill her bowl.

Note: Feed Me dance = Chelsae sits up on her haunches waving both front paws at the human for whom she is dancing, then she jumps in a full circle, bounces a little, stands up on her haunches and starts all over again. If you don't respond fairly quickly, she adds sound effects, indicating that the situation is dire. It is important to note that she doesn't usually want to eat when she does the dance, nor is she hungry; she just needs the security of having kibble in her bowl.

Flying High

Pressly has been learning to fly his new model airplane and Aaron is taking quite an interest in it. He has his own RC helicopter that he's been flying while Pressly flies his plane.

I was focusing on his face and snapped this shot about a millisecond before the helicopter crashed into my camera. I didn't even see it coming, so the perspective here is accidental but pretty cool. We both got a good giggle out of the crash.

Notice: Shirt and shoes are optional, apparently.

I love this one!

This one was way off in the distance and the lighting was really bad Aaron's expression is priceless.

Yes, Yes... I KNOW

2008-10-10T11:39:00.000-05:00

I am seriously delinquent in my blogging. (sorry, Jess!)

Obviously a lot has happened since my last post. Aaron started 3rd grade and seems to be doing really well! He's in a challenging class and involved in some enrichment programs that he loves.

I've also gone back to school to finish my teaching degree! I'm so excited. The semester is about 1/2 over and I am just so happy to be chasing this dream.

I'm still making jewelry, but right now I'm mostly doing custom work. I've done a couple of wedding orders and a few other things and am contemplating selling some of my stash because I really don't need all the stuff I've amassed. The tools will never go, though. I'm a total tool junkie. ;)

Aaron's first 3rd grade report card came home with him yesterday. His grades were great, and we're most proud of his "E" (for excellent) in conduct. More interesting, I think, is what's on the outside of the envelope. I was really tempted to send a snarky note back with the signed envelope, but since I hope to be employed at his school district in the not-too-far future, I decided that wasn't the best idea.

Do you see what I see?

Rudolph the red nosed...Reindeer?

2007-12-13T09:24:00.001-06:00

Apparently Aaron is working on a new installation for the 1001 Ways to Sink a Sub book. They had a substitute Tuesday, and when I picked him up from school, I found that he had adorned himself and his good friend Brandon in Rudolph disguises.

He was so disappointed when I recognized him!

What a cutie patootie! He just LOVES Christmas and is SO excited about seeing what Santa will bring him this year.

We're also trying to teach him about giving at Christmas, and have had the opportunity to let him make donations to a few different causes. He seems to be really enjoying that too, which is neat.

I've made some decisions (well, sort of).

2007-11-13T17:49:00.000-06:00

Friday I got a call back from an interview I had the Friday prior. They offered me the job. I had basically already decided it wasn't a great fit, but asked for the weekend to discuss it with Pressly and think about it. I tried to get excited about it, but I just could not. A big part of my wanting to get a job is so I can meet people and get to know the community better. This job is in a town 20 minutes away, so that also was working against it. I tried calculating the weekly/monthly income to help me get excited, but it just didn't work. I kept thinking that I could make a months' pay in a good jewelry show over two days.

I discussed it with Pressly who basically supports whatever I want to do. He agrees that if I'm miserable at home I should get out and do something. He also asked that if I turn down that job that I don't despair over what to do with myself while I continue to look. I promised I wouldn't and decided to follow my gut on this one. I called them back on Monday and declined the offer.

I also got my magazine submissions completed and mailed them today via Priority Mail so I will make the deadline!

For now I'm going to work on getting all of my current jewelry loaded onto my website, and I'm going to put some stuff out on a few upscale selling sites, including Ruby Lane and Etsy. Not having a lot of history on those sites, I may not see a ton of action this holiday season, but I might get some more exposure and sell a thing or two since I'm not doing any more shows right now. I've neglected my website horribly over the past year, so its no wonder I don't get any sales from it.

I also have applications in for a few jobs here in town. One is for an inclusion aide with the school district, which I think would be extremely rewarding and the schedule would match Aaron's. The other is for an executive assistant for a CEO of our electric coop, and the requirements match my qualifications perfectly.

So I'll not stress about it. Instead, I'll enjoy reading to Aaron's class and going on their field trip. I'll enjoy photographing and describing my jewelry and adding it to the various websites. And I'll enjoy the holidays this year, not stressing about upcoming shows.

EEK! Happy Dance and maybe an answer to some prayers...

2007-11-07T14:48:00.000-06:00

"Thank you so much for sharing your talent and creativity with us!"

That was the closing line in an email I received today. A few weeks ago, I made a last minute decision to submit a few pieces to a magazine, and they emailed today to let me know they have accepted several of my submissions! I'm totally floored. Really. I hoped of the five submissions I sent, they would choose one. The photos were not good at all, taken in a rush to beat the midnight deadline on my dining room table under incandescent lighting. The magazine will, of course, professionally photograph the pieces for publication, but I was afraid the poor quality of the photos and my quick editing job wouldn't do the pieces justice.

The timing could not be more perfect or ironic. Or confusing.

I've been praying for direction and answers about what to do with myself lately. I have basically decided to just hang up jewelry design as a business because I have not been feeling successful at it. People tell me that I am talented; they tell me that my jewelry is gorgeous, that it is unusual, that they love my work. But I totally suck at marketing. I do.not.like.it. I'm introverted and shy and exceedingly uncomfortable tooting my own horn. And I've been struggling with the fact that I just don't feel fulfilled or useful staying at home.

Since we decided to sell our house this spring and pursue our dream of moving to a smaller town, life has been chaotic. We sold our house in just 10 days, then moved to a rental house that also happened to be on the market, so I wasn't comfortable spreading all my stuff out there. During that time, we began the process of finalizing plans to build on our 13 acres. We ran into problem after problem with that process, and finally it became evident that it was going to cost a LOT more than we expected so we decided to see what kinds of existing homes were available. After only one day of looking, we found the perfect house. It was a foreclosure with a very attractive price, had a shop and sat on 4 acres. Within one week, we had a contract on this house, a contract on the sale of our 13 acres and were making plans to move.

Without a doubt, everything fell into place just as it was supposed to, but the limbo time and all the uncertainty wrought havoc on my creative energy. Plus, almost all of my supplies were packed away in a dank storage building, out of my reach.

Fast forward to now: adjusting to this small town lifestyle has been surprisingly difficult for me. I thought I knew what I was getting into because I grew up in a small town. I don't know anyone here. I'm not good at meeting new people unless we are forced together by soccer games, volunteering or other circumstances. My very best friend in the whole world might as well live a world away. We talk on the phone at least once a week and exchange occasional emails, but that's no substitute for real-life friendship and I miss her so much. I've felt myself slipping into a hole for the past few months, and finally decided that since my application to substitute teach or volunteer at Aaron's school hadn't received a response, that I should start looking for a job. I've had a few interviews, one of which would have been okay, but it's in a town 20 minutes from here, so it wouldn't afford me the opportunity to meet local folks. I'm supposed to hear back about that one by this Friday. I've been mulling over what to do if I am offered the job because it's not exactly perfect.

So here I sit, less than an hour after receiving this amazing news, wondering what the heck I'm supposed to do. And wondering whether this is the answer I've been looking for. One of my prayers was that I have the wisdom to recognize the right opportunity when it presents itself. Now I guess I'm trying to decide whether I've been endowed with said wisdom.

As for the magazine, I'm going to keep the details under my hat for a while longer, just in case something falls through with it. I'll announce details when it hits the stands, which is supposed to be Spring 2008!!

Puss In Boots

2007-10-31T08:20:00.001-05:00

At the end of the Summer, I took Aaron to the Ft. Worth Museum of Science and History to see the Star Wars exhibit. That stuff was cool, but true to form, his favorite display was the gift shop. Being the ultimate dealmaker, he agreed that if I bought him a Jengo Fett costume he would wear it for Halloween. Of course, that was months ago, priorities change, promises are forgotten. Around October 5th, he announced he really really wanted to be Puss in Boots for Halloween.

Pressly and I stuck to our guns on this one. The boy must learn to honor his word, and not re-trade the deal after he's gotten what he wants.

Then I got a note from his school that the kiddos would be allowed to dress as story book characters for school on Halloween. Then Monday, he opened his bank and brought me all his change and his $2 bills, offering to pay for the Fett costume if he could just PLEASE be Puss in Boots for Halloween. So we gave in.

I'm not sure Katy agrees with our decision, though (or that look could be trepidation at the thought of us bringing home another cat)

But this all doesn't come without consequence. Oh, no. We still have to teach responsibility, right? So, the kitty litter box needs to be scooped every day, and at the rate of $.50 per day, he should have his debt paid by the end of the year. Aaron doesn't seem too upset about the deal (for now, anyway).

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-22T21:34:00.000-05:00

I suppose it's because Halloween is the first "holiday" of the season, Aaron gets really wound up about it every year. I mean, honestly - he starts asking to put up the Halloween decorations around September 7th. And he gets so excited about all the cool stuff in the stores. This year, I gave in and let him buy a pumpkin decorating book with stencils and tools. It made cutting those suckers SO MUCH EASIER!

Aaron had picked out a pretty elaborate ghost to carve on the larger pumpkin, but Pressly and I were experiencing a great amount of anxiety over whether we could get all those teensy cuts to look right. We convinced Aaron to look for something a little less complicated, so he and Pressly started leafing through the book. As soon as Pressly spotted the alien pattern, he had his mind made up... we just had to convince Aaron! He agreed once we told him he could do whatever he wanted with the other pumpkin. So Pressly got his alien jack-o-lantern and Aaron freehanded a Dracula on the other. It was a lot of fun, and I think they turned out pretty neat!

Here are some photos of the process for your entertainment.

What a shame..

2007-10-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

After dropping the kiddo off at school this morning, I stopped at a nearby convenience store for my morning caffeine. The dude in line ahead of me was also purchasing his morning pick-me-up, but his left the store in a brown paper bag. ;) A liquor store cashier once informed me that that particular size and shape of bag is called a 'wino bag.' How apropos.

How is it fair that HE could buy a 40oz Natural Light for $1.07 and my 20oz diet Coke was $1.40. I also have to say it doesn't give me warm fuzzies that you can buy beer just a hundred yards from my son's primary school. At 7:45 a.m.

Bring in the Clowns -and- A Hall of Fame

2007-10-15T22:09:00.000-05:00

Aaron: "Mom, I finally decided what I'm gonna be when I grow up."
Me: "Great! What?"
Aaron: "A clown."
Aaron: "Sebastian is going to be a clown too. We're gonna work for each other. And throw pies in each others' face."
Me: "Wow, that sounds like fun!"
Aaron: "Mom, I had to pull my clip in class today."
Me: "What did you do?"
Aaron: "I just couldn't get that clown song out of my head. And I had to sing it."

So, forget the army man, the bridge builder and the architect. He's gonna be a clown. Which I think suits him quite nicely. ;)

----------------------------------------------------------

Aaron rode his second dirt bike race on October 6th. He really seems to enjoy it, which is nice because he sometimes shies away from things that are risky. But I think the competition and the thrill of the win got him!

He placed 5th in the race and brought home a nice trophy:

Then he told me we needed to hire a building person to come build a hall of fame for all his trophies. It needs to be very long and curvy.

For the record, he probably has half a dozen trophies right now, including several from his soccer and T-Ball exploits, this race trophy and the trophy he got in his first race where all the PeeWee riders trophied.

So naturally I told him we would build him that long, curvy hall of fame if I win $1,000,000 in the McDonald's Monopoly game.

(By the way, if anyone knows where I can get a Boardwalk gamepiece, I'd be forever grateful.)

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

2007-10-04T20:09:00.000-05:00

We're well on our way to a having a bonafide menagerie with two doggies, two hamsters and now...

TIGER!

A few weeks ago, Pressly said it would be okay for us to get a cat with the understanding that it would strictly be an outside cat. He figures it would be good for keeping the mice and snakes at bay around the house.

After thinking it over, I decided I really didn't want to adopt a cat from a rescue or shelter with the sole purpose of sticking it outside. Many of those cats are tempered for the indoors and are de-clawed. So I thought I'd just keep my eyes open for an ad for free kittens or something.

I was almost home this morning after dropping Aaron off at school when something ran across the road in front of me. It didn't move like a squirrel, but I was too far away to see what it was. Once I got to about where I had seen it, I slowed down and saw this tiny orange baby disappear behind a tree. I could hear it mewing loudly so I got out of the car and started calling to it. Knowing how temperamental cats can be, I figured it was futile, but I'm a total sucker for animals.

In just a second, it came out out from behind its tree and looked at me. I walked over, reached down and scooped it up, thinking at any minute this skin-and-bones furball was going to start clawing at me with all its fury. But he didn't! He started purring right away. Sweet baby just wanted to nestle into my hair. He rode fine in the car, and when we got home I gave him a little milk and introduced him to the dogs.

I took him to the vet, who says he's probably 8-10 weeks old but is so malnourished it's hard to tell. He has ear mites, and weighs only about 1 pound 3 oz, but other than that, he seems healthy. We're treating the mites, and as soon as he gets some weight on his bones we'll start vaccinations. Aaron named him Tiger for now, but says he wants to get to know him a little better before deciding on the final name.

He is such a lover, which is pretty unbelievable for a stray cat. Here's to hoping he's still around in the morning.

Giggles

2007-10-04T17:06:00.000-05:00

Aaron's classmates have bestowed the nickname "Giggles" on him. His kindergarten teacher once told me that when he started laughing, she couldn't say anything to him or he would totally collapse in laughter gasping for breath, then the domino effect would cause the entire class of 5 year olds to erupt into laughter. I figured he would outgrow it, but apparently if that's going to happen, it'll be sometime in his early 30's. I asked him why he thinks his classmates decided to call him Giggles, but instead of answering me, he looked at me with a sparkle in his eye and informed me that a girl in his class is nicknamed....

Monkeybutt.

Aghast, I just looked at him for a minute, sucking in my cheeks and biting down on them to suppress an outburst. When I felt I could speak without choking or laughing, I asked him why she was nicknamed that. He just shrugged and said he didn't know but he thinks she said her uncle gave her the nickname. Of course, I told him he is absolutely not allowed to say that nickname to her. Ever.

Hmmm.... Giggles, Monkeybutt... wonder what he's not telling me?

"B" is for....

2007-10-02T21:28:00.000-05:00

Bubbles!

....bubbles....bubbles...bubbles!

What's the point of having a jetted tub if you can't have a little fun every once in a while? We may have a problem, though. Aaron announced he's doin' it again tomorrow!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, where were mom and dad when this was going on?...

Bleeding the clutch hydraulics on the Miata...

Then Chelsae Butter offered to go on a test drive w/ daddy...

And when I went back in the house, I discovered that Katy got in on the Bubble action, too...
although, I'm not sure she was a willing participant.

"Does it make coffee?"

2007-10-02T20:44:00.000-05:00

My sisters have been on my mind a lot lately. They are all so accomplished but still so very grounded. One has faced enormous tribulation, but always emerges stronger in her faith. She and her husband are extremely successful and musically talented. They work very hard and glorify God in all they do. Another is such a free spirit, introspective and wise beyond her years. She reminds me a lot of our mom. She's just about to finish college and start a new exciting journey. She's made some tough decisions lately but seems so much happier now. The third is so smart, loving and talented. She's a junior in high school but it looks like she's already paved her way to a college scholarship through her amazing twirling talent. She's so smart, kind and driven. I can't wait to see what she does in years to come!

The cooler evenings have me looking forward to the holidays - I just wish the days were cooler too! Thinking of Christmas reminds me of the many fun surprises and escapades of youth. When Jessica and I were very young (she was about 4 and I was around 6 years old), daddy took us to Winn's buy Christmas gifts for one another. He made each of us sit in the car while he took the other in to make our choice. He purchased our selections and then hid them in the trunk of the car. He instructed us that these gifts were secrets and we were not to tell the other what we bought.

We went home and gleefully wrapped the gifts separately and put them under the Christmas tree. I think we managed to make it about an hour and a half before we decided we just could not stand the suspense any longer. In our infinite wisdom, we figured out as long as we didn't tell daddy that we told each other and as long as we promised to act really surprised on Christmas morning, we could safely exchange secrets.

So we did.

Then the game commenced.
4 year old Jessica: "Daddy, if I guess what Jasmine bought me will you tell me I got it right?"
Daddy: "Ok"
4 year old Jessica, coyly: "Does..... it..... hmmm....... MAKE COFFEE?"
Daddy: dead silence. But his whole head turned purple.

Jessica, of course didn't quite grasp the levity of what she had just done, but *I* knew, and she soon learned.

Oh crap.

See, she loved sweet, milk-laden coffee. So I bought her a kid's real working coffee maker that you had to pour water in, add grounds then pump, pump, pump with your hand to get it to drip. It was rectangular monstrosity with a big orange button and a transparent brown reservoir window and it brewed cold coffee.

And Daddy, with all the wisdom of a daddy, obviously knew that no four year old on the planet would spontaneously guess that. Much less on the first try. He threatened to take our gifts away, but they were still there on Christmas morning. Funny thing is, I don't have a clue what it was that Jessica bought me that year. I'm pretty sure it was either something miniature or a Strawberry Shortcake figurine.

Those shopping trips continued until we left home, but we never shared our secrets again.

He made me cry.

2007-09-16T22:30:00.000-05:00

Aaron is very matter-of-fact when it comes to the realities of life and death. It's a blessing in many ways, because he isn't emotionally devastated by the death of a pet like some children are. (and like I still am!) He once "buried" a deceased pet fish by carrying it into the backyard and dropping it into a crack in the ground. He then giggled, saying that the grass would probably get greener there. He also enjoys speculating about what new pet he might get when his current pets expire. (But he's always very careful to cover their ears or whisper quietly so as not to upset them by speaking of their impending doom.)

So, yeah, his comfort with death can be something of a blessing. It can also be a bit of a curse.

He has a real fascination with "army guys"...anyone in the military service is an "army guy." He wants to be one when he grows up, and he wants to fly airplanes. But as we were looking through vacation photos tonight, he spotted this photo of himself -
So of course, he told me when he grows up, he wants to be the gun shooter.

As we were lying in bed after I read him his story, I was about to kiss him goodnight when he turned away from me in the dark and said, with the slightest quiver in his voice, "Mom, if I'm one of the guys that never comes back, promise you won't forget me. Okay?" I simply could not say a word because I was choking back my tears.

I didn't want him to know I was upset, but before I could pull myself together he asked if I was crying and quickly flipped on his lamp to check on me. He gave me a big hug and said he was sorry for making me cry. He told me not to worry because that was only one of his choices for what to be when he grows up, and he said he wouldn't do it if it made me that sad. I managed to steady my voice long enough to tell him that he can be anything in the world he wants to be, and I want him to be whatever makes him happiest. Even if that's an "army guy."

Hopefully God won't be too upset with me for the fib. A quick smooch goodnight, and I scurried out of his room before I totally lost it.

YAWN

2006-08-15T16:02:00.000-05:00

I started a temp. job yesterday with the company I used to work for. I've been out of the 8-to-5 grind for over three years, and to say it's taking some adjustment is an understatement!

Now to figure out when I'll be able to make jewelry during the next 4-6 weeks...

Random Stuff....

2006-08-12T11:19:00.000-05:00

The toggle! I gifted it to Lesley Jones of Bead Genie Creations. She is a dear friend and fellow jewelry designer with excellent taste. She just went nuts over the toggle when I showed it to her, so I knew it had to be hers! Lesley is always doing really thoughtful, kind and unexpected things for others, and it was such a joy for me to be able to surprise her this way! She says she is making something special with it for her private collection... I hope to have a photo to show it off when she's done.

"What Inspiration?"

I think my hopes of finding tons of inspiration on vacation were a bit too optimistic. The beach was just...enh.... and the water was greyish with lots of seaweed. The temperatures were nice, and we did get in lots of relaxation. Despite my application of SPF 50 sunscreen, I managed to acquire many, many new freckles on my face. Funny as I get older, the freckles are becoming less endearing. *smirk*

I did create part of a new necklace which I will (hopefully) finish today. I think it will be the launchpoint for a line of color-cohesive pieces. The name? Something to do with raspberries and peaches.... maybe.

Exciting News - I've Been Published!

2006-08-12T00:04:00.000-05:00

We returned from vacation this evening and as I dug through 1532 emails, I found a note from Rena Klingenberg of Home Jewelry Business Success Tips letting me know that she published the article I submitted to her.

The article evolved as I responded to someone's questions about "doing jewelry shows." There is just so much to say on the subject, and there are no really short, concise answers to many of the questions, so the 'answer' grew and grew and grew. I shared the final product with some fellow jewelry artists, thinking it might be of some use to them. At the urging of several peers, including Susan Midlarsky of Aspiring Arts, I submitted it to Rena!

If you're interested in reading the article, you can find it on Rena's website - the title is "Success at Juried Shows". Caveat: Unless you are in the business of selling your handcrafted jewelry, you will probably not find the article very entertaining.

Vacay!

2006-08-05T18:00:00.000-05:00

We're heading to Port Aransas, TX for a week on the beach. I'll have my sketchbook with me so I can take notes while I (hopefully) soak up the inspiration! I'd love to find some really cool objects like stones, shells, etc., to use in some of my work.

Hasta...

Tool Addict

2006-08-04T08:22:00.000-05:00

I finished my 8 week jewelry fabrication class last night. It was at the Creative Arts Center of Dallas which is a great nonprofit in southeast Dallas.

During the course of the class, I finally admitted to myself what my husband has suspected for a long time...I'm a tool addict.

I recently planned out a day-long errand-running marathon so that I would end up at Harbor Freight. (Tools are nice, but cheap functional tools are even better.) I started to suspect I might have a problem that day when I found myself bribing my 5 year old son with promises of ice cream cones and trips to Toys R Us if he would just let me shop a little longer. Hmmmmm....

So anyway, what exactly is the "draw"? What causes an average middle class chick to develop a tool addiction???

As a jewelry designer, I've always imagined the possibilities. The awesome fabrication techniques would swim around and taunt me, building excitement as I poured through instructional texts. The class I just took only enabled me further, confirming that my suspicions were correct...with the proper tools, I can make some really COOL stuff.

So here are the results of what I learned in class. This is a bezel set leopard print jasper cuff bracelet. I started with sterling silver sheet and wire, cut, shaped, soldered/brazed, oxidized and polished it.

I think the back is pretty
nifty, too...

Our very first project for the class was to create a pendant. I was still too chicken to introduce my saw blade to the sterling sheet, so I used copper for this one. It's kind of neat, but I don't love it enough to re-create it in sterling right now. I used several different shaping and texturing methods on this pendant. The upper portion is domed and hammered with satin margins around the cutouts. The lower portion is a simple texture. I think it looks sort of ethnic or primitive.

Next we tackled rings. This one required a bit more precision. The cuts had to be straight, and the joint had to be completely flush. I sawed the appropriate size strip of sterling from my sheet, formed it into a round shape then soldered it. After soldering, I filed it smooth so the solder joint disappeared, smoothed the edges and added a fun hammered texture. That's it up there at the top of the page.

I also created this toggle that I'm pretty proud of. I showed it off to a couple of my peers, and they wanted to take it from me! Those silly ladies....little did they know this one already has a very special purpose. More to come when that purpose has been fulfilled.

If you'd like to see the kind of stuff I do when I'm not fabricating, have a look at my RazzyJewels website or my Etsy Shop.