A Meal and A Lofty Craft Ambition

It seems as if my school days are more fast and furious each day!  Although I complain about it sometimes a lot, I do like being busy.  There is a fine line between completely overwhelmed and just putting in good work on a work day.  Teaching English/reading skills all day is good in a way as the skills and lessons can overlap somewhat being I’m working with third and fourth graders now.  It just cracks me up that NO YEAR is remotely the same as the last, and I laugh at the thought of being able to reuse/recycle lesson plans!  So not happening!

Today’s chillier temps and a busy day meant it was a soup and bread kind of dinner for us.  My favorite soup recipe is this…

-1 pkg frozen mixed veggies

-1 medium onion, chopped

-1 32 oz. container of chicken broth

-2 cans navy beans, rinsed and drained

-2 tbsp.-ish of olive oil

-salt & pepper

-2 bay leaves

1. Soften chopped onions in olive oil in large stock pot for approximately ten minutes over medium/high heat.  Be careful not to burn.  I do this often!
2. Add all other ingredients.  Bring to a boil and let boil for about five minutes.
3. Reduce heat or turn off completely with lid on for about 15-20 minutes or whatever!
4. Server with warm bread and butter (preferable that you let someone else bake for you!  Thanks Kroger!)

Ta-da!  Everyone LOVED it!  H especially liked dipping his bread in his soup.  I am reminded at every meal how thankful I am that H is a super good eater.  This recipe gave us dinner and three containers of left-overs for lunches.  Enjoy!  🙂

Now, my craft isn’t that easy!  I’ve always admired these peace sign wreaths…especially at Christmas time.  I would love to have one and discovered one to buy.  However, it was sadly more than ten bucks (like 5 times that much!), and I’m cheap.  Here’s the one at CB2!

Then, there’s this DIY one…

It doesn’t look super complicated.  I think the most challenging part may be gathering up the twigs!  Fortunately, I’m pretty sure I can wander around my parents house and find some that would work.  Hmmm…DIY is not my thing.  What should I do?  Buy, make or just admire via the internet?  🙂

Speaking of other Pinteresty wants – Look at this neat one!  It’s a fingerprint sweethearts necklace.  I LOVE personalized jewelry that is super meaningful.  What could be more personal than something as unique as a fingerprint of your love?!?

More cute jewelry!  I love all these cross bracelets!  Unfortunately, the one I like the best {the white one} is sold out right now.

Could this post be anymore random???  Yes, it could.  I know when I’m not feeling my best or when things are challenging at work the people (and doggie) at home get the rest of me, sometimes not the best of me.  I saw this good reminder recently and thought I would share.

Click here to get the free printable!

It can be hard to remember in the craziness and demands of the day, but I know ultimately that my husband, my child, my family have to be my priority over students, fulfilling roles outside these walls, etc.  Each day is another chance and another challenge.  Hopefully, this list inspires you like it inspires me.

Fall Photos and Updates

Hi there!  Wow!  Can you believe it’s October 25th already!  Where did this month go?  The fall is so so busy for me {and our family}.  Over the last few weeks, we visited family on two separate occasions.  It is so nice to be with them and enjoy food and time together, BUT wow, being away from home really makes me miss my own bed and just relaxing in my loungey clothes on a Sunday afternoon {versus driving back home}.  I went to a sweet baby shower for an old friend one weekend while H enjoyed playing with his grandparents.  The next weekend H had fun apple picking at a local orchard with his Moochie and Auntie D.  It’s definitely been a fall bucket list item for me.  I’m so glad we got to do it!

We also visited the Discovery Center in Pocomoke, Maryland.  This was such a neat place!  I loved all the hands-on exhibits, and H did too.

Here is H driving the steamboat.

This weekend we had a “party it up” Saturday with an AM birthday party and a PM neighborhood pumpkin carving party.  H is pictured below with his birthday party favor swag.  His blinking ring was a huge hit {until it ran out of juice at the end of the day}.  

During the week, we’ve been enjoyed the nice weather, lots of work for me, and working on some preschool art projects.  We got H’s first school Lifetouch portrait, and WOW!  I’m pretty biased, but I think he’s one cutie!

T-minus 6 days to our Peter Pan costume Halloween!  This week is going to be another busy one.  I’m so looking forward to it (Halloween, not the crazy busy-ness).

What’s Up?!?!? (Wednesday)

Can you believe that we are at the half-way point for October?!?!  Wow, this month is flying by!  I’ve had lots of changes in my work life in the past week, so I’m kind of thrilled they are behind me.  My school lost one special education teacher due to “numbers” not being high enough to keep the position.  There is a system in which school officials calculate the “need” of each student based on daily minutes provided.  All the teachers that I know go above and beyond those minutes, and I know that I certainly help all students who are struggling…not just those with official “minutes.”  You may guess that no one asked a teacher’s opinion at my school.  They have their budget and reality of how they have to do things, BUT it certainly made for a stressful mess for my school and teachers.

The short version is that I will not be working with my kindergarten students (They were so sweet about me leaving!  They made a card, and we had donuts on my last day!).  I will be working with both third grade and fourth grade this year.  English all day.  Yippee.  I really don’t mind teaching English, but it is nice to have some variety in life.  Two SOL TESTING grades is also a challenge.  In conclusion, it sort-of feels like the first day of school again for half the day.  I so don’t like the first day of school!  Getting to know the kids, revamping/doing lesson plans, and just adjusting to working with a new teacher can make one stressed!  In fact, I was so stressed this past weekend (although I don’t think I admitted how bad it was getting on my nerves!) that I broke out with a nice case of hives for my Saturday night fun!  Not to worry!  Those lovelies have faded, and hopefully things will start smoothing out at school as well.

We did get out of town this weekend to visit H’s Granny and for the Mr. to do his first fall hunting.  He’s slightly excited about hunting season.  🙂  (<-that may be the largest understatement of the year).  Although it sprinkled a bit on Saturday, Granny, H, and I did get a little outdoor play in plus a trip to the farmers’ market.  Granny treated H to TWO light sabers (one for his opponent who is typically Daddy).

I got to take two nice walks with Roscoe the doggie while we were there.  Aren’t these flowers growing in a soybean field pretty!

Sunday was a baby shower for an old friend.  The food was delicious, and I was so glad that I could make it there.  It’s funny how you can go from seeing someone so much to seeing them hardly at all.  As life has gotten busier for both of us plus a couple moves for her, it was nice just to catch up and do baby/kid talk for a little bit.  After the shower, it was back to reality for us!  Groceries, laundry, and prepping for my first day as a third and fourth grade teacher!  Another mountain to climb this week was to figure out why I’m sneezing and itching my face off!  I’ve never been one to have allergies, but I have been getting super sneezy and just miserable every night.  This has resulted in a lot of lack of sleep!  Not good!  Well, this week we went on the attack.  The Mr. had our home inspected for mold.  None present!  Yay!  We thoroughly cleaned our bedroom from top to bottom including under the bed and closet.  We even washed curtains and every single bit of our bedding.  After continued sneezing, we decided to throw money at the situation.  On Monday, I was feeling way tired from the lack of sleep, so I left work ASAP to buy an air purifier.  I know…it kind of seems like a hoax.  I can happily report that I’ve been sleeping much better since purchasing it!

I’ve also been using my Neti pot every night!  It’s basically a pretty snotty, gross event.  Whatever it takes to sleep through the night!  I’ve been feeling like a fussy infant or the princess and the pea!  Here’s a link if you want to buy…  I’ve always heard great recommendations about these things.  Seem to gross to try?  Here’s an article from WebMD about the benefits and who should give it a whirl.  Another recommendation is to wash your hair every night.  I know this stinks especially if you’re more stylish than me and like to do your hair in the morning.  I’m not at all hair-motivated in the morning.  My hair is fine, so I can easily curl, straighten, or put up my washed-last-night-hair.

So I’m happy to report I made it from 10PM to 4:40AM last night!  Victory!  Unfortunately, my nose got a little stuffy around that time.  This is a HUGE improvement!  I’ll keep doing what I’m doing!

Any allergies tips that have worked for you?

It’s beginning to feel like fall around these parts.  Do you have any favorite fall traditions or a fall bucket list?

Stormy Seas

I survived Monday…I would say barely, but the truth is that I’m alive and well home with my favorites.  Do you every just have days that are yuck for no super bad reason?  I think it was the chillier temps (that totally didn’t work with my chosen outfit), not enough food in my lunchbox {why did just lettuce and a burger seem substantial…there was an orange but still!}, and just a case of the Mondays.  My poor husband came home to a sad dinner  and a whiney wife.  😦  I did make the smart decision to whine all at once when he arrived at home.  I think that was better than sulking and being stand-offish.  Don’t I sound fun!??!  I did attempt to make dessert.  What can I say?  I like to bake when upset/out-of-sorts.  Sadly, this resulted in way too many crummy cookies for me AND a bad batch of cookies!  They crumbled all to pieces once they came off the cooling rack.  It’s more like eating “chocolate chip chips” than chocolate chip cookies.  The Mr. is blaming it on my TJ’s organic brown sugar, but I’m blaming it on Monday.

Let’s rewind.  Sunday was such a nice day at home (perhaps there is the sharp contrast to today?}.  Church, gym, and a nap/rest time {small ones for the Mr. and I} were perfect!  We also visited the oceanfront to see the big waves!

The water was also up in the ditch behind our house which is tidal due to the creek that it connects to…

It never made it past our fence though.  I’m so thankful that the hurricane bypassed us.  Feeling the wind whipping off the ocean down at the oceanfront just amazed me!  It felt so strong, and it was really nothing compared to what we could have been experiencing.

I did leave out one very important aspect of the Mr. and H’s Sunday…Legos!  They played probably about 4-5 hours total.  Lots of “Daddy, fix it!” as H would play with one Lego toy and snap off a piece.  I loved seeing them enjoying each other and the 563,478 pieces of little brightly colored plastic!  🙂  All of the Legos below were my husband’s.  They were washed and dried after being in storage.  It was quite a labor of love on the Mr.’s part.

Overall, I’m glad to put October 5 behind me, and I’m looking forward to a fresh start for October 6.  🙂  Here’s to Tuesday winning over Monday!

Gloomy Saturday

Well, Hurrican Joaquin bypassed us.  The storm/low pressure/nor’easter – I have no clue what it actually is called dumped a whole lot of rain on us.  Unfortunately, I had bus duty this week which entails staring outside for about 25 minutes-ish in the morning followed by about 15-20ish minutes in the afternoon.  What an unpleasant week for it!  I also had a yucky cold/allergy situation going on this week which made for a somewhat painful Monday – Friday.  This is how H felt about the week…

Although the storm passed by us, lots of events were cancelled including a local children’s festival that we were planning on attending.  Instead, we went and visited a doggie in a SPCA about an hour and a half from our house.  I had been seeing this dog’s picture in the local paper and on Facebook since last Christmas!  After talking it over with the Mr., we decided that we could totally enjoy adding another dog to our family especially this small one, a Chihuahua mix.  He is quite a cutie!  To make a long story short, we filled out applications, talked with the SPCA manager, and even took pictures of our yard.  We set off this morning to see him and planned to take him home.  We were so excited on the way over making our plans…  When we got there it became quite clear that they were not letting this dog go home with anyone with small children {apparently 15lb Chihuahuas who act slightly nervous when meeting new people at the SPCA that they have been at for OVER A YEAR, don’t respond well to visitor when they are leashed and held only by the SPCA manager…gee, what a shocker!}.   P.S.  We already own a nervous dog that is not the biggest fan of small children.  We felt very misled and disappointed by the whole event.  So…that’s why it was a gloomy Saturday {that plus the cloudy skies overhead!}.  After lots of looking since we got home, I concluded maybe we should just give up as the only dogs that are listed on a pet finder website that are good with children are ones that are PIT BULL MIXES…does anyone else see the irony?!?!?

I’m sure it’s hard to have two dogs.  This is especially true when your first dog is utter perfection…

Pictured below is our nervous barker, bad-with-other-dogs, neurotic, gun/belt/anything long phobic, dining room scratcher angel!  To expect perfection from any dog or any human is silly.  Patience and love can fix many issues.  As a side note, Roscoe definitely almost bit my mom’s face when we had him for about a month.  Now, they’re good buddies.  🙂

That is not toilet paper in the background.  It is a fake spider web.  FYI.

On a lighter note, we did make some fun fall/Halloween decorations using some simple craft supplies that I had at home.  We hole-punched, added some yarn, and hung them from our dining room chandelier.

H actually liked this crafty project.  He’s usually no fan of coloring/paint/stuff.

I hope you’re having a good Saturday!  May it be disappointment free and include a dog of your very own to cuddle up with!