my "thanksgiving present"???

i had a little surprise visitor in my classroom this morning. he was the stepfather of one of my students & i hadn't met him before. he dropped in with a "hey guys, how you doing this morning?" i was like "who are you? and why do you think you're wanted in here?" don't worry, i wasn't quite that hostile, but... then i noticed that he was carrying this:i don't know if my reaction was the best... i said "oh dear! are there bees in that thing?" such a kill joy, i know. but seriously. he said he brought it to me as a gift, they found it in their yard. thanks, but i like gifts more in the form of a 2 liter of soda or a gift card, for future reference.

and in other ungrateful whining - what in the h.e.double.hockey.sticks am i supposed to do with that thing next week when i go off track? i don't have room for it in my off track storage closet!

the kids have enjoyed it today. and i even shook it at a few of them saying "let's see if there are bees!" and yes, i know it's hornets. i like to say bees more. shock value or something, so suck it.

my many thankfuls

my husband * my parents * my sisters * a house * a garage * garrett's patience * a sense of humor * nieces and nephews * the opportunity to teach * a calling that i share with g * insurance * contact lenses * books * goals * friends * being happier than i ever expected - direct result of my husband * a good night's rest, when i get one * garrett's ability to massage my back * an ipod and the enjoyment with music it brings * soft, comfortable carpet * hardware in my kitchen * the gospel * opportunities to travel * a testimony that Jesus is my Savior * my childhood * repentance * garrett's family * a husband that doesn't mind that i'm chubby *

not in any real order. not all as important as others. i reserve the right to add to the list.

drink the milk

i just finished reading the first Fablehaven book. i'm in the middle of reading the lost symbol for bookclub. and i feel a little bad because i am sure that book is a good one. one of my students gave me the fablehaven book at the end of the school year. i'd heard really good things about it, but hadn't gotten around to reading it. until about a month ago, when i decided to read it to my students. my kids have loved it. and so have i. they beg me to read it whenever we have a moment to spare. they even went so far as to buy me book two and three during our book fair. i just hope we have time enough to read them all this year.

the author lives in utah. and yes, he is a much better writer than someone else who went to byu. he's actually been to my school, i think.

i highly recommend this book. or series. it won't disappoint.

i hope they make a movie. i smell another harry potter blockbuster.

now only if i could decide: finish reading the lost symbol and then read the rest of the fablehaven books... or read fablehaven and then try to have the lost symbol done by the first of december. better do the lost symbol first. thanks for helping me think that one out.

UPDATE: check this out!

my 30 day fast

garrett keeps joking about how he needs to go on a 30 day fast. it makes me laugh when he says it. it is ridiculous to think of. and yet...

since parent teacher conferences and getting a head cold, i haven't gotten back on the treadmill. which stinks, cause i was in a really good phase there. for almost 3 weeks.

i need to get not sick. i need to find some motivation. it would help if i could fall asleep at night.

biggest motivation right now: my pants are getting harder and harder to squeeze into. blurg.

speaking of 30 rock, was it just me or was last week's epi of 30 rock hilarious?! i laughed so hard. that show kills me. if i had to pick just one show a week to watch, that would be it.

encourage me, please.

is it gray or grey?

how do you spell the color gray? i spell it gray usually... and i'm going to in this post - i hope it doesn't offend you that i don't spell it grey.

i've been finding lots of gray hair lately. not in a specific section. just all over. but more so than i used to find. and i pull them out. but i'm starting to find myself thinking "i'm going to go bald if i keep doing this" but i won't. don't worry i've still got a mop.

now, let me interrupt this terribly important blog post to say: i've got all kinds of colors in my hair. i've always been able to find some white or gray hair. always. all of my life. do you get the picture? in fact, i don't even really have a specific hair color. i'm not a redhead, although i've got lots of red hairs. i'm not blond, i'm not a blackie... i'm mostly a brownie. but it isn't a typical brown. it's more of an auburn brown. i guess.

there are pros and cons to my hair's color. i've never dyed it. my mom always said "don't dye your hair, no one else has the same color & it's healthy." and she is right. with all of my highlights, my hair color would be pretty hard to replicate. but that's also a con... my hair isn't a color. you couldn't replicate it.

thing is, as i'm starting to find more and more gray hairs, i've caught myself thinking about how the day will come when i do need to dye my hair. cause i'm surely not going gray yet. in my personal opinion, it's not so much a prejudice against the color but more the texture. [i'll spare my few readers the details of my feelings on hair texture vs color...] gray equals wirey in my book. and i don't need to indulge those little wirey devils. i will paint them and punish them.

it will be the end of my healthy hair, i realize. but someday, i will have to dye my hair. and i'm realizing more lately that someday might not be too far off. but i'll want to look for a color similar to my own. i might go a little bit darker in the browns, but i surely won't do radical highlights. i'm just not that kinda girl. [if you highlight your hair, that's not a ding at you, i'm just way too plain and simple.] so, i will have to dye my hair. just so i don't pluck myself bald.

i don't not dye my hair now because i think i'm better than anyone. it is just another thing i don't want to have to worry about. getting my mop to look somewhat managed is a difficult enough task, on a freaking daily basis. i don't really look forward to the day when i'll have to politely let my mother down that i'm not dying my hair out of vanity, just necessity.

and for the record - the fact that my husband is graying on his sides... dead sexy. his hair - will not be dyed. just wouldn't be a post from me without a little too much information.

the goose is getting fat

i absolutely can't wait for christmas this year. it is my first married christmas. it is also my first christmas that i won't spend with my family. all these years, i've managed to spend christmas with at least my parents & usually one or more of my sisters, and their kids.

will i miss them? yep.

will i probably cry? yep.

will i still enjoy the hell out of it? yep.

have we bought most of our christmas gifts? yep.

have we already opened and used most of our christmas gifts? yep.

are we using christmas as an excuse to buy the things we want? yep.

am i going to wrap them up a few days before christmas? yep.

are there a few things we're actually saving for christmas? yep.

am i going to try and buy a few "surprises"? yep.

do i regret that we're doing at all? nope.

[yes, my nickname is goose, a la hojo. yes, i realize i'm calling myself fat here, i'm not in denial. but really it was a play on that old round song... christmas is coming the goose is getting fat...]

a tag {fives}

Emity tagged me... here goes:

Five Things I don't leave the House without

1. Phone
2. Keys
3. Chapstick or another varietal of lippies.
4. Sunglasses if it is day
5. Underwears - but not always a bra.

Five Cartoons I watched when I was Younger

1. Gummy Bears
2. Bugs Bunny
3. Tom and Jerry
4. Smurfs
5. Duck Tales. this list was completed with the help of my dad. cause i watched cartoons on Saturday mornings with him. and my sisters. thanks daddio.

Five Things That Terrify Me

1. creepy things happening in the night. enough said.
2. my parent's basement. and the wolf that lived in it.
   
3. clowns
4. being unaware of b.o.
5. bad thunder and lightening storms
6. [thanks for reminding me momma] bridges over water!
   

Five Things I hate/dislike that everyone else seems to like

1. diet soda
2. posting the same post on facebook that they do on the blog
3. anthropologie
   
4. jay leno
5. Applebee's

Five Things I want to do before I Die

1. give birth to a non-alien baby
2. take Garrett to my parent's home in chicago
3. take Garrett to Hawaii
4. go on a cruise with Garrett
5. say to my own child "i brought you into this world, i can take you out of it!"

Five People I tag

1. Garrett
2. Heather
3. Holly
4. Tib
5. Beth

letters from kimmy

my friend kim has been in brazil visiting family for almost 2 weeks. she's been off track, so i wouldn't normally be seeing her everyday - but typically when she's off track, she's not out of the country. so text messages at any given moment are still allowed, but that hasn't been an option.

we've been emailing back and forth since she's been gone. writing letters, if you will. i miss that form of communication. in this day and age, we're all - and i know i'm more than guilty of this - too immediate. i have realized that i miss the formality or something. [i've even used capital letters - to all those out there that don't think i'm capable. a story for another day, now i basically refuse to punctuate properly out of stubborness.]

maybe i'm just a poor emailer. but i usually don't go through all of the steps of telling what is going on, answering questions asked, and then asking my own questions. but in real life, that's more how you communicate. or i do. i don't just share messages out & wait for a simple response. i want to tell what is going on, i want to find out what else is going on... i've really enjoyed these emails. and to boot - kim is an incredibly funny, witty friend so busting a gut laughing while hearing about brazilian culture and traditions is highly entertaining.

i'm always so thankful for friends. especially smart, dependable, humorous ones. kimmy, if you read this, come home - we need to do dinner or something. and do some more catching up face to face. i miss you. but in the meantime, i'm really enjoying your emails.

why do sundays have to end?

i survived halloween.

i was dressed as granny may from word girl. kids - young kids - thought i was a geisha. how in the world do they even know what a geisha is???

i can't believe it is november. this year has gone so fast.

i love the holidays, especially christmastime. i can't wait for it. time with family, a break from school.

i don't love driving in the snow/ice. i tend to crash.

i'm fighting a cold. my eyes are a little goopy still. my throat keeps getting sore-ish. i'm a little achy. of course, for conferences...

this week is going to be long, stressful, and hopefully successful.

i'm glad halloween is over.

time to break out the mocha choca latta yaya. momma surely does enjoy hot apple cider & mint hot chocolate.

i like asking why questions when trying to keep garrett awake. it's fun. except when he stops playing. guess i better get off the computer & read, so i can fall asleep so he can legally fall asleep. if he falls asleep before me, i'll be bugging him about snoring & that's not fun for him. good night.

vampires and monsters

[photography by hojo. editing done at picnik.com]