Sunday, November 30, 2008

Lazy Sunday

That's what today was. I woke up super late (but I was out until after three, what do you expect? I made some breakfast (I'm not super impressed with my pancakes today) and read the paper.

Now I'm finally revising all my rationales. Thankfully it's going quick. My advisor pointed out the exact spots that need work so all I have to do is go back and change those spots then I can resubmit.

Interview Tuesday... I'm not nervous. I think I'm too tired to be nervous today. I do need to figure out what I'm going to wear though... I've got a cute idea. I need to print out another resume too.

No shopping today. Unless I can convince hubby to go out tonight. Which I doubt. It was hard enough to get him to go out Friday night.

Hope everyone else had a relaxing day before we start this work week. For me it's my last "work week" for a while. Last week of student teaching! Then I have to prep my portfolio and finish my TPA. Then it's vacation time!!! Finally, I've been counting down for ages.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Super Tired

I woke up at seven this morning because I couldn't go back to sleep when Tim left for work. So I bummed around and decided to go to Old Navy.

So many things, not enough money.

Then I went to my grandma's all day with my parents and my aunt and uncle. They're in the process of working on her place for her so I went to help. Now I'm tired. So I'll rest for a bit before I have to get ready for our party at Beth's. See y'all tomorrow.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Friday Photo

OOPS! I totally blanked on the fact that it's Friday! I owe you a photo, don't I? No one even messaged me to remind me... gosh, guess I don't have any readers. Or you're all out shopping Black Friday sales. Nut jobs...

So, back to the picture. I didn't take any pictures yesterday (once again, bad Ashley!), so you get a picture to go with the cold weather.

Meet my Mukluks...

These are the ones that were waiting on the porch for me when I got home from my first interview. Aren't they cute? I heart them. So much. My hubby is the bestest.

So there's your photo. Now your day can go on as planned.

A Few Things

As I read the paper I found a few things that already made my morning. And yes, I'm weird for these particular things making my morning...

So I'm in what equates to the entertainment or spotlight section and all these things made me smile. I even texted Tim about two of them. First I see that Let's Go Bowling is going to be at Club Fred tomorrow night.

What? You don't know who Let's Go Bowling is? Well, I'll go with how our paper described them: my town's "Forefather's of Ska." And if you don't know what ska is, then I've given up hope on you.

Anyway, I would love to see them, but we're having a party at Beth's tomorrow night. So I guess I'll have to skip it this time. Would be fun though...

Then I flip a couple pages and see that the Philharmonic is doing a night of Hollywood movie scores. That's just plain fun. It's not like we're fans of the Philharmonic or anything, but come on. Hollywood movie scores??? We're actually contemplating going.

I kept flipping and found the dates for Christmas Tree Lane here in town. There are always two walking nights and I want to go. The first one is Tuesday, which might be a nice way to relax after my interview. Then there's one on the 10th. I kind of want to take Tad again (he fell asleep last year). So maybe the one on the 10th will work...

Just thought I'd write. Because I know everyone cares about what makes me happy. Hope nobody's got a hangover (turkey or otherwise). I'm off to do homework... ugh.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Turkey Day

Okay, so I'm cheating and actually writing this on Wednesday night, but with our first gathering starting at about 12:30 I might not have spare time to blog in the morning.

Hope everyone has a great day. Hopefully no one strangles a family member and no one drops their plate of food on the floor.

Don't forget to really think about what you're thankful for. Whether it's coffee, fresh laundry, food on the table, or the color of fall leaves. There's plenty that I could list, but it could take a while.

So don't eat too much! And if your family drives you nuts, just let them be crazy for the day and be glad you have them there to make you insane.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

No stew for you

Yeah, I know. Most over quoted line from the most love/hate show in existence. But I totally had plans to make some stew for dinner tonight. In the crock pot. Super easy. But I kinda forgot to take out the meat last night. So it's definitely not thawed. Meaning I can't cut it into chunks. Ugh... no clue what's for dinner tonight now.

I did have a productive morning though. I wrote a rationale (which I have to go turn in in an hour), went to my mom's to get my diploma (which I need for Fresno County), and baked some cookies. Wow. Now I have to get dressed and find something to eat before I go down to school.

Then it's come home and frost said cookies (yes, they're the famous sugar cookies, my sisters will love me). Find something for dinner (it may be a takeout night). Do my nails (I've been meaning to for weeks now). Clean the kitchen... okay. There's my day. Hopefully you guys are doing something more fun than me.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

I heart my BFF

So Lauren came over today. We just relaxed and watched some movies. She had just bought yarn so she started crocheting a scarf while I contemplated baking. We decided that when we have jobs next semester we're taking dance classes again. We miss them. I'll take Tim and she'll take her "not boyfriend." Haha...

And I totally did end up baking. I made some pecan squares. Like pecan pie, but little squares. But they're going to Tim's work. Or getting saved for Thursday. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of saving them for Thursday. Especially since one sister-in-law already myspaced me and asked if I'm making cookies tomorrow (doubtful). Maybe the pecan squares can be a peace offering.

So anyway, there was much conversation had. We discussed the importance of marrying down and how cute Asian babies are. Quite a random day. But so fun. Lauren made my day.

Yay!

Ahhh, Tuesday and it's a day off. I was going to meet with my advisor but she had to change the appointment to tomorrow. It's eventually supposed to get cloudy today (with a chance of rain tonight), but so far the stupid sun is still out.

Best of all. Lauren's coming over! At least I hope she still is. I think we might bake. And watch movies. And who knows what else.

Unfortunately that means I need to finish cleaning. Yuck. We actually did some cleaning yesterday, but then I cooked last night and I need to finish cleaning the kitchen. And the bathroom. My two least favorite rooms to clean.

BTW, is anyone else totally ready for Christmas? I can't wait to get a tree (making space for it should be interesting in this living room the size of a postage stamp). I got out all my Christmas music last night. And I shall be downloading more today. But let's save that for another day. Look for me later. I may blog about the fun that my BFF Lauren and I come up with. :)

Just for fun

This was something Tim found the other night. We had a good laugh while looking up our birthdays and stuff. This site will give you the number one song on the day you were born. But we went further than just our birthdays. So here's some of the things we found...

My birthday song: "Physical" by Olivia Newton John. Great. One of the worst songs of the eighties and it was number one when I was born. Tim actually got my hopes up. He read 1982 instead of 1981 and told me that my song was "Maneater." At least I could get a laugh out of that one.

Tim's birthday song: "Tragedy" by the Bee Gees. Now you could take that title and run with it, but I won't. I'll be nice to my husband. I mean come on, he got stuck with a Bee Gees song.

Day of our wedding: "Touch My Body" by Mariah Carey. Ick. I hate that song. But yes, go ahead and laugh at the title of it and that it corresponds with our wedding day. Done laughing? Let's continue then.

Day of our first date: "A Moment Like This" by Kelly Clarkson. Okay, I have to laugh at that one. It's just too cheesy and perfect for the day we met. I laughed and Tim looked ashamed to say it.

Day we actually decided to be exclusive: "Dilemma" by Nelly and Kelly Rowland. Ugh. Why did the song for that day have to be one that uses one of my most hated terms of "endearment?" That's right, it says "Boo." Stupid.

I also looked up some family members' birthdays. And there were some bad ones. I mean baaaad.

My brother's birthday: "Flashdance... What a Feeling" by Irene Cara. OMG, one of the worst songs and my poor brother got stuck with it. Why couldn't the Misfits have had a number one? Oh, right. Because then they would be popular, and we most likely wouldn't feel the same way about them.

My sis-in-law Kristen's birthday: "I Love Rock & Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Seriously? How come I couldn't get a good song like that???

My sis-in-law Beth's birthday: "Maniac" by Michael Sembello. Haha... the title says it all. Does it not?

I won't give you all of them. You should be looking up your own important dates now. Check out the site. It's a fun way to kill some time and come up with connections that you have to reach for.

Monday, November 24, 2008

C is for...

C is for creative. Which I like to think I am.

I love doing things. And making things. I will gladly sit down with the kids and play with Legos for hours. Or Play-Doh. It's fun! I love coloring with Tad. We color in his coloring books together. Scrapbooking is super fun for me. If I had the free time and the right amount of space I would be a scrapbooking queen.

My new thing is sewing. Have I actually started? No. But I have projects in mind. And the material. I just need the time to get to my mom's and use her help and her machine. But I'm determined. Especially now that I'm so close to being done with studying. Soon I'll be correcting the homework, not doing it.

I think I'll extend creativity to the home area. Now my apartment can't really be that creative. It's rented. And I would still like my deposit back. So no paint and such. But when I get a house... it's on. I already have files saved and mental images. I can't wait. It will be a glorious thing.

Let's also throw in that C is for cupcakes. Which I'm obsessed with. And I do still aspire to be good enough to sell them. Maybe not have a store, but at least take orders or something. (BTW, Tim said we can have a double oven when we get a house - SCORE!!!) C is also for cookies, something I'm so good at that my sisters sometimes email me just to ask when I'm making them next.

And this week, C is for cranberry sauce and cranberry relish. I only get the relish when grandma is with us on Thanksgiving. And it is amazing. To say the least. Now I'm hungry...

So there's this new show...

And it's called "Whale Wars." Tim and I have a huge issue with this show. The premise is this group of people who are interfering with Japanese whaling ships. The Japanese are apparently doing this illegally. And this group is pissed. So they do things like throw gas bombs onto the whaling ships, try to jam the propellers on the ships, or even board the ships to try and force no action.

They are eco-terrorists. Plain and simple. And jerks.

So we were discussing how Animal Planet will give anyone a show now. Maybe we should get a show. But then I realized I don't think animals are people. And that's a problem if you're going to be on Animal Planet. And Tim said, "I have an idea. In light of recent political events... Whalin' With Palin."

He's rather proud of himself. And if anyone steals our idea, we have an uncle who is a feared lawyer. So think twice.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Ew.

So I'm on allrecipes.com tonight looking for recipes (duh) and came across a recipe for "slow cooker squirrel and liver." Tim's in the kitchen so I tell him...

"Dude. There's a recipe for squirrel on here. WTF?"

"I've told you before honey. There are people who eat squirrel."

"Then they shouldn't be allowed to have internet."

Finally... the interview

So I left everyone hanging. My parents and Tim are really the only ones who know everything. Well, my grandma too now. But everyone else has waited patiently. Or maybe I just don't have readers. Or maybe my readers don't care.

Wow, that's a depressing thought.

Anywho, had my interview with one of the schools on Friday. I had class before my interview so I went early to talk to my advisor from initial student teaching. I wanted to tell him, and I figured he might help me calm my nerves. So I went to his office, he happened to be in, and actually did make me feel a little better. He made me laugh, which helped out. Then I went to class, told Lauren,my girlfriend, and she got all excited for me. And told me something funny.

She found out where my interview was and said, "Oh, is it a combo class?" I told her I didn't know and she tells me that her ex just left that school and the interview might be for that class. I thought that was a weird coincidence and contemplated throwing off the interviewers by saying that I knew the teacher who left (I totally wouldn't do this, it was just an amusing thought).

Went to my interview (this is a school I used to work at BTW, don't know if I mentioned that before). Waited a bit, then the principal came out to get me. And I walk into a room with three more people already sitting down. Yes, I was interviewed by four people. And totally wasn't ready for that. Intimidating much? I got through the interview though. I think I did alright, but I'm not sure I want to go back to that school. I'm not sure my personality would mesh with the principal's. I don't want to get into it much, just that I think we might butt heads a little.

Turns out it was the class Lauren's ex just left though. Which made me laugh. But that means it's a combo class. For those of you who don't know what that means, there are two grades in one classroom. So I would have a mix of fifth and sixth graders. There are veteran teachers who dread combo classes, and they want to give a brand new teacher a combo class? Eek!

Well, as soon as I got out of the interview I texted Lauren and Tim. They told me I probably did great (I have the best husband and BFF ever!) and I told them I'd talk to them later. I got home and as I'm walking in the door with an armful of stuff, my phone rings. I took it out of my pocket and didn't recognize the number. But with all the job stuff going on I answered anyway. It was the principal from the other school I'm interviewing at!

So this guy is totally funny. I actually enjoyed talking to him. He joked around and told me everything about the job (it's another combo class) and even told me I made his Thanksgiving break by saying I'd be happy to interview. So that interview is Tuesday, December 2. But having gone through one, I'm not as nervous now. Plus the principal was super nice on the phone and I just have a better feeling about this one.

So that was my Friday. We went to dinner that night to have a mini-celebration. And now I'm just soaking it all in. I texted my master teacher and she's super excited for me. I'll tell everyone on Thanksgiving (unless I have family besides Micah who reads my blog). Now I need to think about how the heck I'll teach a combo class if I get one of these jobs...

Saturday, November 22, 2008

OMG OMG!!!

So I'm doing my morning check of Perez Hilton (yes I check daily, sometimes twice) and I see the coolest news ever.

NO DOUBT IS GOING ON TOUR!!!!

Seriously! Head over to their website. They have this cute little convo announcing it. I'm dying. I wanted to go see them in high school but dad said no. Now I'm an adult and I get to go!!!!

No dates yet, but I'm going. Anyone else in?

Friday, November 21, 2008

Haha...

I'm gonna leave you hangin'. You don't get to find out about my interview and what happened afterward until tomorrow. I'm taking the night off. We're gonna get some dinner. And maybe a movie. Definitely some adult beverages.

Friday Photo

So I haven't been taking a lot of pics lately. So here's one from Halloween. I needed it to make me smile while I sat here and freaked out about my interview today...




I heart my little Bumblebee.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Double Holy Crap!!!

I have an interview tomorrow. Crap. I hope I'm ready.

Holy crap

Yeah, that's the only title for this post. I finally stayed home today, my wonkiness got to be too much. I've had a headache for three days now, have not wanted to eat at all, when I do eat I feel yucky, and I'm just all around exhausted. There's no fever, so I don't know what it is. But I finally took the day off.

So I'm sitting this afternoon, on my couch, doing nothing, and the principal at the school I'm at calls. She asked how I was doing and then told me she talked to her boss (remember the post from way back in September about the big visit and the guy who watched me teach a lesson?). Her boss asked about me (!!!) and said he was going to have some job openings and wanted to know if I was interested! So my principal gives me his number and tells me to call him in a few minutes, after she calls him back. I wait and try to mentally prepare myself for whatever might come.

So I call, and he's asking how it's going and what the status is on everything I need to get my credential. Thankfully we just got told all the important dates and stuff last week so I was able to tell him when I'll get my scores, when my exit interview is, and when my credential should be ready. So after telling him all of this, he tells me that there are several upper grade (5th or 6th grade) openings available. Like, as soon as I'm done! He told me the schools, and what's funny is I used to work at one of them. So we get some information down and get off the phone. I call my mom, super stoked. Then my other line starts ringing and it's him again. He got the okay to schedule interviews for me with the principals of the two schools!

I could actually have a real job in January!!!!

So now I just have to get all my paperwork together. I have class tomorrow at the university, so I'm going to go to my old advisor and ask him to help me prepare. But OMG! I'm dying, right now. So keep me in mind over the next month or so. I'm excited, but I'm also kinda scared right now.

Yuck

There's something going around right now. My cousins have all been sick over the last week. The school nurse has had three kids come in with a temp over 100 this week (that's three kids in two days). Everyone's catching this crap.

I feel like poo, but can I stay home? Nope. TPA today (wish me luck on that), class tonight (blah), and I'd like to be able to suck it up enough for Thursday. Sometime before Friday I have to churn out a couple lesson plans and three rationales.

At least I can look forward to next week. We have the whole week off! I can sleep. Or whatever else I feel like doing. Yay! I am so looking forward to it. Anyone want to come join me for a day of movies or something?

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Guess what?

That's right, no creative juices are flowing so it's another surveyyyyy. When school gets out this should become more interesting. I promise.

What kind of soap is in your bathtub right now?
Well, Tim has his manly soap (I think it's Old Spice) and I have my minty fresh stuff from Bath and Body.

Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator?
I hope not, because if we do, it's so old it's toxic.

What would you change about your living room?
Bigger?

Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty?
Clean. Tim ran it today.

What is in your fridge?
Eggs, ground turkey, some random veggies (some of which are probably bad), a few leftovers, a pitcher of water, some vitamin water... do you really want me to list everything? Let's just say "food" and be done with it.

What is on top of your refrigerator?
Random crap. Including whey protein powder and napkins.

What color or design is on your shower curtain?
I haven't taken down my Halloween one, so it's still skeletons. It will eventually be changed back to the blue stripes.

How many plants are in your home?
None inside. But I have two on my front porch and one on my back.

Is your bed made right now?
No, we don't do that often.

Comet or Soft Scrub?
Comet, probably because that's what my mom used growing up.

Facial Wash?
Well... there's always St. Ives apricot scrub (or a knock off of it), and my fancy expensive acne stuff. And right now there's a second fancy expensive acne wash.

Is your closet organized?
The stuff that's actually in there is...

Can you describe your flashlight?
My favorite is my mag lite. It's black and I could kill people with it.

Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home?
Depends. We have both.

Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now?
I don't believe so.

If you have a garage, is it cluttered?
It's cluttered in one area, but the rest is pretty organized.

Curtains or blinds?
We have blinds that everyone has, but I need some curtains. Mommy...

How many pillows do you sleep with?
One right now. It'll become two again at some point.

Do you sleep with any lights on at night?
The night light gets turned on when Tad is here.

How often do you vacuum?
Tim vacuums more than me.

Standard toothbrush or electric?
Standard.

What color is your toothbrush?
Blue and orange, my next one is pink I think...

Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch?
We do. It has monkeys on it.

What is in your oven right now?
Nothing. I don't use it for storage and we sure aren't cooking anything right now.

Is there anything under your bed?
Yes, but it's all in plastic tubs, not just random crap strewn about.

Chore you hate doing the most?
Cleaning. Just in general.

Do you have a separate room that you use as an office?
Nope. The spare room belongs to my Tad. And Micah when she stays here.

How many mirrors are in your home?
Five. One of which is so high you can't see in it, but it's decorational, not functional.

What color are your walls?
Some creamy color.

Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home?
My husband is a weapon. haha... actually, given a threatening situation, I would turn just about anything into a weapon.

What does your home smell like right now?
Like my house.

Favorite candle scent?
Cinnamon vanilla.

What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now?
Dill. No other kind is acceptable. Ever.

Ever been on your roof?
Nope. Not here, not at Tim's old house, not at my mom's.

Do you own a stereo?
Yes. Thanks to my father and stepmom in law!

How many TVs do you have?
Two. And we only have two because Tim's coworker gave us one that he wasn't wanting anymore.

How many house phones?
Zero. We don't want to pay for it. We would never use it.

Do you have a housekeeper?
HA! If only!

Is there a smoke detector in your home?
Yes. And I hate it. It's inches from the kitchen and super sensitive so it's constantly going off.

In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you’d grab if you only could make one quick trip?
If Tad was here, definitely him. I'd try to grab the laptops and my photo CDs. If there's time, I'd go for the jewelry box. Man... we need a fireproof safe, I have crap that needs to be in there.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

eeeeee!!!!

So I forgot to mention, Wall-E comes out today. I can't not watch the commercial. Tim told me I could have the DVD for my birthday. I seriously don't know if I can wait that long!

If you didn't see the movie, buy the freakin' DVD and watch it. I dare you to tell me it's not one of the BEST movies ever!

By the way, if anyone buys it and wants to bring it over this weekend, feel free!

If only

If only I had money. I want to get all crafty and stuff. But that takes money. I've decided I'm spending Christmas break at my mom's, using her sewing machine and thread and other stuff that I'm too broke to buy.

So if any family members are reading this, some JoAnn's gift cards or even Wal-Mart gift cards would be awesome. I'm trying to be creative here!

Monday, November 17, 2008

B is for...

B is for boy. Or boys.

I only have two nieces, but four nephews. I'm surrounded by boys. But when it comes to kids, I think I'll be better off with boys than with girls.

Now girls are cute. They have cuter clothes so they're more fun to shop for. They have hair you can braid and curl and do whatever with. They like princesses and sparkly things. What's wrong with those things? Nothing. But girls also grow up. They turn into drama queens. They get interested in boys. They worry about their appearance. They fight with their friends about the studpidest things. And if I have a daughter, she'll be as much trouble as I was in high school. I don't know if I can take that.

Boys are different though. Sure their clothes aren't as cute. But they're messier so that doesn't matter. And you can't curl or braid their hair. But they can have mohawks! They might not be into princesses (hopefully), but they love superheroes and cars. Those can be just as fun. And let's think about when they get older. Boys don't hate their moms in high school as much as girls do. And boys don't create drama. They're actually kind of oblivious to it all. Just ask Tim. They don't fight over girls. And when they do fight it's not the evil rumor-spreading that girls do. It's a couple punches and then they're over it.

I bring this up because it's possible that I may have twins one day. It's just the way it falls in the family. It's either me or Micah and I doubt she wants them (right MP?). If I have twins I really hope they're boys. Or one of each. I just couldn't handle two girls. One mini-me will be bad enough. Think about it, fighting over clothes, fighting over boys, fighting over who gets to be Cinderella for Halloween... I can't do it! I've already told my mom, Tim, and a few others, if I have twin girls I'm leaving one at the hospital. I don't want both. But actually, if any of you want the extra let me know.

Twin boys would be great. I can handle wrestling and fighting. Bumps and bruises are easier than the wounds that girls inflict. So maybe they'll fight over which race car or superhero they play with. Maybe they'll fight over who gets to be Batman. At least they won't come up with, "I'm prettier so I get to be Batman."

So bring on the boys! Although, I do want one girl. Just to dress up and stuff.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

An Open Letter

Dear Scientists,

I know you're busy curing diseases and such, but might I make a suggestion to you? While you're busy finding an obesity gene, or a cancer gene, let's look around for a drama gene. No, not the creative drama, the pointless drama that makes ya wanna backhand a b*tch. Ya know?

I know, cancer and obesity are serious problems, but drama can be too! It causes needless rifts in families. It gives us those annoying couples who break up and get back together every other month. It takes up precious time that could be spent doing better things. It pulls in third parties and creates a problem for them. Drama sucks!

I know people will say, "Just don't hang out with those drama queens." Easier said than done friends. Especially when it's family (blood or otherwise). You're supposed to be nice to these people that are talking about a new "scandal" every month? If they're not mad at you, they will be next month. Maybe you looked at them wrong. Or you breathed on their drink. Or you took someone else's side. Good Lord, could we get over it already? This is where the drama gene comes in. If we turn it off, think how peaceful family get-togethers will become.

I'm also curious to see what else the drama gene will be connected to. The back-stabbing gene? The having-multiple-baby-daddy-is-awesome gene? The I-only-date-losers gene? The I'm-entitled-because-I-have-too-many-kids gene? The possibilities are endless!

So scientists, let's get to work on this one. You'd make mothers of teenagers happy. Anyone with a daughter would fall down and kiss your feet. We could change society as we know it! I've even got some test subjects for you. Just gimme a call. I've got plenty to choose from.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Help?

I want to change the look of my blog. And even though I thought I knew enough about html and such... apparently I don't. Anyone think they can help? I want a banner, my own page, just stuff.

Gimme a shout. Otherwise I'll call my brother-in-law and hope he can help me.

Some randomness to start your weekend

Found this floating around the blogosphere and thought I'd toss it at you.

I am: ready for Disneyland.

I think: I'll be productive during my break from school.

I know: that my honey loves me.

I have: wet hair.

I wish: I could sew. That's gonna be worked on after Disneyland.

I hate: housework. But doesn't everyone?

I miss: being a size 4. Hell, I'd settle for a 6.

I fear: worms.

I hear: Scrubs. Awesome show.

I smell: nothing. Maybe I should cook...

I crave: Thanksgiving food.

I search: only when I desperately need to find something.

I wonder: what our kids will look like.

I regret: nothing.

I love: creating.

I ache: because I'm sitting on the floor. I have horrible posture.

I am not: good at time management.

I believe: in sitting on the couch with a glass of wine and my husband.

I dance: when I want to have fun.

I sing: with Tad. We love Veggie Tales and Backyardigans.

I cry: only if it hurts reeeeeally bad.

I fight: to keep my mouth shut sometimes.

I win: burping contests. Sometimes.

I lose: my sanity. Often.

I never: forget lotion after the shower.

I always: kiss on my nieces and nephews.

I confuse: my students when I talk to myself.

I listen: to Adam Carolla in the mornings.

I can usually be found: procrastinating.

I am scared: of worms. Didn't I already tell you that?

I need: to put on some chapstick.

I am happy about: school almost being over.

I imagine: that I will be crafty at some point in the near future.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Friday Photo

Another week, another Friday, and the promise of another weekend that will fly by before I can really enjoy it...

*sigh*


Don't mind my funk. I'm in a current state of annoyance. Add to that the fact that my weekend will be spent doing homework and blahhhhh... Okay, enough of that. Let's have a zen, fall moment with the Friday photo, shall we?



Taken from my back porch last week. Gotta love the sky on a fall day.



Thursday, November 13, 2008

Thankful Thursdays

Since there's only two Thursdays until Thanksgiving I figured I would throw this in for those two Thursdays. If I had thought ahead I guess I could have started it with the first Thursday in November but oh well...

I'm thankful for my family. Both my blood family and my in-laws. Without my Beth and Kristen I wouldn't be a tia. Without Eric I wouldn't have a functioning computer. I could go on and on, but what about my own family? I'm so my mother and I'm completely okay with it. I have incredibly strong grandmothers who deserve awards for some of the stuff they've dealt with. I have cousins (mine and Tim's actually) who are some of the best friends I could hope for. I just have an awesome family. There's no way to argue otherwise.

I'm thankful that I've got my education. And that it's almost done! Yay! I've always known what I wanted to do, I just got distracted along the way. Then I met Tim and it all came together. I had to quit screwin' around and get school out of the way. And here I am almost done. I met some awesome people and learned a ton along the way.

One more for the week... I'm thankful for color pencils and Sharpies. I know, it's not a serious one, but I love them. I'm looking at them sitting on my coffee table next to my little journal. I've been feeling particularly doodly since I decided I want to learn to sew. I want to make little felt dolls for the kids. And for me...

What are y'all thankful for? Blog it with me.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Blahhhh

I have nothing to say. My Veteran's day consisted of homework. All day. So my brain is on strike. So today I will leave you with one of my new favorite blogs...

Super Cute Mushroom Meadows

I wish I could doodle like her.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

My Monday...

... was happy. Tim had the day off from both jobs. I had the day off due to inservice for the district (one highlight of not being a paid employee - no trainings!). So we slept in a little. Then did our grocery shopping after a stop at each of our banks.

Funny how a trip that we took with the intent of picking up "a few things" turned into a total of almost a hundred buck. On the upside we've got enough meat in the freezer for quite a few dinners. Tilapia, chicken, steak, ground turkey, turkey sausage... oh the meal possibilities. Then of course there's the lamb chop (that I won't eat) from Tim's dad. And the bear sausage.

Wait, did I forget to mention the bear? I won't eat that either. But you don't care about that, do you? You just want to know why the bloody hell there is bear sausage in my freezer. You're thinking, "This girl is woodsy? I didn't know mountain folk have internet!"

No. I'm not a mountain girl. I have family in Alabama*, but I am definitely not backwoods. I have two Starbucks stores within a mile radius.

Tim comes from a family of hunters. This doesn't bother me because he would never force me to eat something he shot. So a couple weeks ago his dad was out hunting and shot a bear. And gave us some sausage. Yay (said with much sarcasm).

Sorry, that was a tangent there. I've got ADHD. Windows are a dangerous thing when I'm supposed to be paying attention. Oh look, a leaf fell off the tree... see what I mean?

So back to my Monday. After this trip to the store we decided that we needed to have a date. So we went to lunch after going home to unload. Had some pizza (mmmm, tasty, tasty pizza). Then hit the $3 theater to catch The Dark Knight again. We saw it the first time around, but wanted to again. And that was quite the interesting trip...

There was a girl sitting down the row from us waiting for someone. When he got there he decided to climb over us instead of going around (which would have made sense seeing as how she was on the END OF THE ROW). So he got on my fecal roster from the start. Then the couple was arguing. They were trying to do it quietly, but Tim and I could obviously hear them. So I got the giggles. I kept them to myself, but I couldn't help it. Really? You're going to get to the theater and argue with your girlfriend? Then it took a different turn. She started to get up and he grabbed her belt or something and pulled her back down. She didn't yell or scream, just continued whisper-shouting at him and he wasn't letting go. I saw Tim tense up out of the corner of my eye (he trains in jiu-jitsu for those of you who don't know, and we have been witness to a loved one suffering an abusive control freak). I put my hand out to take his hat that he had been holding and knew if the guy didn't let go Tim would put his ass to sleep. But the guy let go and the girl walked off.

At this point the jerk decided to follow, but apparently thought it would be faster to climb over us, again. Well, even though he said excuse me, there was no way in hell I was making it easy so I kept my feet out and even crossed one so I could make a higher barrier. He just stumbled his way across (I've never wanted to see someone trip so bad in my life) and walked out. They eventually came back in for about ten minutes then left again. But I seriously thought Tim was going to have to restrain the guy.

Besides that the movie trip was fine. There was a group that must have dropped hundreds of pieces of round candy, because I heard it rolling down the aisles several times. I wanted to laugh each time too. We got out and came home. Then vegged, watched some Lost on SciFi, and I baked.

And because this was such a lengthy post today, I'll reward you with a picture. I made brownies tonight, but put them in foil baking cups. And put some leftover Halloween M&M's on the top. And they are miiiiiighty tasty...




*This does not mean that I am profiling my Southern family, or anyone from the South. I loved the people on my trip down there. I'm simply tying my lineage in here.

Monday, November 10, 2008

A is for...

Okay, so I saw this idea of doing a letter and relating it to me. So those will be my Monday blogs for the next twenty-six weeks.

A is for Ashley.

Yeah, that's my name. You all know that. But what not everyone may know is just how popular the name was in the eighties. I was born in 1981, and at the time I think the name was original. My mom didn't mean to give me a name that every other girl would have by the time I reached high school. This is evidenced by the fact that no matter how many other Ashleys I come across I am always the oldest. Ashleys older than me are a rarity.

At the church I went to, there were six of us that attended regularly at some point over a span of about four years. Six Ashleys. Do you have any idea how rough it was to even go by our first names after that? We all started answering to our last names. It was just easier. But of course there were always the boys who would call out, "Ashley!" Yeah, they were doing it just because they thought it was funny to see three or four heads turning at once.

I discovered something about Ashleys. I love all of them. We're pretty much the same people. It's like, being given the name makes you instantly awesome. The boys figured that out too. Two different guys dated three of us. They just couldn't get enough of us Ashleys. Actually, one of those guys went on to date a fourth Ashley, but she didn't go to our church so I can't speak for her awesomeness.

Seeing as how A is for Ashley, we could assume that A is also for awesome, aunt, analytical... a plethora of other things. But I'll stick with the story about my name.

Now I challenge my other blogging friends to try the alphabet. Can ya do it?

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Attention Please

*ahem* I only have ten days of student teaching left. The week after I'm done I submit my big test that we've been working on.

Then I go to Disneyland.

I can't believe I'm almost done. This is so weird to me. It feels like I've been in school forever! Now I have to have a job. I'm not going to be a student anymore!

So bizarre to me. Just had to share that with y'all.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Wish List

So a friend did this a couple years ago on his myspace (shout out to James). And I promptly took the idea since I have a birthday in December as well as Christmas.

Wanna know what to buy me? Check it out.

1. Gerard Butler. Okay, I know it sounds bad, but Tim and I have discussed it and he's totally okay with me having a sancho as long as it's King Leonidas.

2. NPH. I want him for a totally different reason. I just think it would be awesome to hang out with the guy.

3. A bakery. I'd have the sickest cupcake shop in town. Or if you aren't rich enough for a bakery, how about a house with a top-notch kitchen.

4. The 2009 350Z. Mmmmm... it's not out until spring, but I'll gladly take a pre-order. White please. Really, have you seen the slight change to the body? Tasty.

5. A personal trainer. To kick my ass out of bed every morning and make me skinny.

6. While we're at it, how about a personal chef. Because cooking is kind of a pain. My chef doesn't have to be here every day, maybe only five days out of the week?

7. Disneyland season passes. For me, Tim, and our nephew. I love that place. I could easily go visit every month.

8. Shoes. I love shoes. Size 7.5 or 8, just depends on the style. Money for shoes would also be acceptable.

9. Baking stuff! Ya know, fun cake pans, tons of decorating stuff... the things I could do with limitless baking supplies...

10. Cookbooks. Specifically some baking ones. Although normal cooking is cool too.

11. A Wii. Because I'm pretty sure it would be fun.

Yeah, I know that this list is way out there. On purpose. Although shoes and cooking stuff aren't out of the question. Anyone else start their list yet?

Friday, November 7, 2008

Friday Photo

So I meant to make this a picture of costumes, but I'm just too lazy to get up and unload the camera. So here's something that's already on my computer.

My youngest nephew has learned how to "cheese." And it's damn cute.





How adorable is he??? Don't you just love him?

Thursday, November 6, 2008

This is just TORTURE

So I was frequenting one of my favorite sites and I came across this...

Bubble Wrap Calendar

Now at first you're probably thinking, "Wow! A bubble wrap calendar! That's so amazingly awesome! I need one."

Now think about it. The idea is to pop one a day for the whole year. How the heck do you only pop one a day?! You can't just pop one! It's impossible! Who creates such torturous things?!

That's all. Just wanted to share my observation with you.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

All wifey and stuff

Monday night I was feeling particularly domestic or something. Or maybe I was just craving some peanut buttery goodness.

Either way, I totally made dinner (my muy excelente soup) and dessert. And dessert was my awesome peanut butter cupcakes. But I made some mini cakes too. All I needed was a little apron to complete the whole "domestic diva" look.

So I have the whole cooking thing down, but sorry, I will never enjoy cleaning. Anyone want to do it for me? I'll cook for you.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

So did you?

Did you vote?

I did. By mail. Last week. Hopefully you're all getting out there to let everyone know what you think. That's it for today. Short and sweet.

Oh, and for all you Brad Paisley fans out there, his new CD is out today. It's going to kick so much ass.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Monday Confession

Just to let you know, this may be my last Monday confession for a good minute. I'm running out of things to confess to. Because there are some things I'm just not putting in here.

That said, this week's confession has been revealed to my parents, husband, and brother already. And it got a great reaction, which just made me happier about coming up with it.

I have a slight crush on Seth Rogen.

Don't ask me why, I just do. He's by no means pretty or anything that would land him on a woman's list. But I just have a thing for him.

Mom, Tim and my brother were slightly disturbed by this. Are you?

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Happy Belated Birthday

So I'm finally getting around to this. Sorry it took so long pops.

Thursday was my dad's birthday. And oh Lord the things I could say about my dad. I'm no daddy's girl, but it's painfully obvious that I take after him in more ways than one. My interesting sense of humor? Dad. My love for Aerosmith and the Beatles? Dad. My ability to BS somebody with a straight face? Dad.

I'll tell you a little story about my dad. As kids, he used to listen to rock stations and sing the songs loudly to my brother and I. His favorites were Walk This Way and Roxanne. But Roxanne more than anything else. Every time I hear the song, I think of my dad and his singing. So of course when the wedding planning was going on, we started talking about a father-daughter dance song. Me not being a daddy's girl made choosing a song difficult. So I jokingly suggested Roxanne. Now, if you know the song lyrics you're probably hemorrhaging at the thought of that song right now. But we didn't choose it! We ended up using a Beatles song, which was so appropriate for us.

All that to say that every time I see this picture of us at my wedding, I think of him singing the ever-inappropriate Roxanne. That's not what he was singing really, but I can't help but hear those lyrics more than any others...

Happy birthday pops. Love you.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Halloween is over

And I'm sad about it. Halloween is the best freakin' holiday of the year!

We had fun. I was Little Red Riding Hood while we took the kids out. Then I was too hot and itchy so I changed before we went out to Fred's. I settled on a black angel. The funny part was that when I got to Fred's my girlfriend, Raine, was there. And she was a white angel. So we laughed about that and took a picture.

Can I just say something? People suck. No one stays home to hand out candy, and really there aren't that many kids that go door to door anymore. Church carnivals are fun and all, but come one. Bring back the door to door trick-or-treating! I was seriously disappointed in that last night.

We took the kids to Mariano to get their pictures taken. And I can't wait, because the few he showed us we super cute! From there we hit some of my family then came back to the apartment to try and trick-or-treat.

When we decided we were done we left the kids with grandparents and then headed out. The band at the club was pretty good. We had some beers, Beth and I danced and sang a bit. The night went by quick. But it wasn't bad.

Look for my dad's birthday blog tomorrow sometime. I'll get it done. Swear.