Carol's Corner

The Library Shelf: Educating Esme

2010-09-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

A very real look at a teacher's first year of school. This book is written in diary form so it gives a firsthand account of Esme's first year of teaching a 5th grade class at an inner-city public school. She is a 24 year old teacher with the enthusiasm of a ten year old. She brings a fresh perspective to teaching that doesn't sit well with her principal as she is often rocking the boat, struggling against the bureaucracy.

I loved this book! All of the politics that go along with public school teaching in the US just don't make a whole lot of sense to me sometimes. It is great to read about someone who is willing to go out and buck the system for the betterment of her students.

YUMMY?

2010-08-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this YUMMY looking cupcake is SOAP? It looks SO good that I wanted to eat it! Brings new meaning to wash your mouth out with soap! LOL

Summer Break's Over

2010-08-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

At least for me that is. DD doesn't start until next Monday.

Summer Break went W-A-Y too fast!

Reno Road Trip - July 2010

2010-08-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a slideshow from the recent Reno Road Trip. Just click "Play" and away you go. Turn your speakers up so you can hear the music. There are a few slides that have more journaling than others so you may need to click pause (unless you're a speed reader).

A digital slideshow by Smilebox

Shirt Refashion

2010-07-31T12:40:00.001-07:00

Back from Reno. I'll post pictures soon. Hopefully a lot quicker than the last road trip pictures were posted. ;-)

The night before leaving, I took this man's shirt:

and made it into this cutey:

Very comfy and Very cool! AND....very easy! The hardest part was getting the straps to be the right length (and I'm still not sure I've got it right, but it's good enough for me).

Our Favorite Muffins

2010-07-23T13:56:00.001-07:00

We are getting ready for another road trip - Reno bound this time and all points in between. An important part of our adventures is snacks. Yes, snacks! We can't be without them. Bringing them with us keeps us from having to purchase them along the way for WAY more money. One of our favorite treats to bring with us is Chocolate Chip Muffins. YUMMY!

I ALWAYS make a double batch of these things. They freeze well. They thaw well. They're just great! Here's our favorite recipe (It says it makes 12, but when I double the receipe I usually come out with at least 30. So, I would guess that the original recipe makes about 15 - math genuis that I am.)

Our Favorite Muffins (adapted from 30-Day Gourmet):

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (When I double the recipe, I still only use 1/2 cup and it turns out just fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz sour cream (I use the lite kind)
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add sugar, oil, vanilla, salt and sour cream, mixing well. All at one time, add flour, baking soda and baking powder. Stir until all is moistened and slightly lumpy. Pour into oiled muffin cups (I use Pam). Fill 2/3 full and bake at 350 degress for 20 minutes.

I add 1 cup of chocolate chips, but you could add anything you like, berries, nuts, etc.

I've been wanting to try spice muffins, but we love the chocolate chip ones so much I always talk myself out of it. For spice muffins, with the flour, add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.

These are definitely not diet-approved, but hey, we're not eating them every day either.

The dryer has buzzed and that means it's packin' time!

The Library Shelf: Ana's Story

2010-07-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

Another one already? Yes! LOVE summer time (well, except for the heat and the snakes and the ugly, dry grass and the no paycheck).

Today's book is Ana's Story by Jenna Bush (Yes, THAT Jenna Bush). This book is based on her work with Unicef. It tells the story of Ana's childhood and teen years in Latin America. She was born HIV positive, transmitted from her young mother, who died when she was only 3 years old. She lives with relatives being shuffled from one home to another, to a detention center and a group home for those infected with HIV. Her's is a long, hard journey.

While this is the story of one girl's life, it is also unfortunately the plight of many children throughout the world who are robbed of the innocence and carefree spirit of childhood due to poverty, illness and abuse.

This is a quick read because of the very short chapters, but it is also intense due to the nature of the story. I enjoyed the book, others may not because it is not sugar-coated but a true depiction of reality for so many young people.

The Library Shelf: Bud, Not Buddy

2010-07-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

Up on the Library Shelf today is "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis.
"Bud, Not Buddy" is a Newberry Medal Winner and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. It's set during the depression of the 1930's in Flint, Michigan. Ten year old Bud, not Buddy, is a motherless boy trying to find his father. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: advertising flyers for a band. Bud decides to hit the road to find him.

The descriptive language makes you feel as if you are there as "a fly on the wall" watching all the goings-on. Some of it even made me laugh out loud.

The hardships of the depression, the Jim Crow laws and discrimination of blacks are entertwined with the journey of Bud through comedic episodes giving a different insight into the life of an orphan on the run.

This book is actually classified as a Young Adult's book, but I think "old" adults would enjoy it too. It's one of the choices given to the middle school students at CAVA to read as part of their literature course. I'm going to be doing online Literature Circles this coming school year. There are quite a few books on the reading lists that I have not read so I figured I'd better get to it if I'm going to be teaching these things. It's a good read!

Adventures in Tie Dye

2010-07-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, DD and I tried our hands at tie dying.

Oh What Fun It Was!

Really!

We gathered a couple of old whitish shirts.

We mixed up three colors of dye (yellow, red, and blue) and we went to town.

We dunked,
we stirred,
we even syphoned with a straw.
See....look here....

Here's what DD's shirt looks like now:

And, here's mine (I didn't do the multi-color thing):

It's a very pretty blue. I love it! Only one problem. I accidently got a little tiny bit of red dye on it. DARN! I have to figure out how to hide it. Maybe a little bit of embroidery magic will do the trick....

Wanna See What We Got?

2010-07-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we got a new toy for our Bearded Kitty.

Isn't he the cutest!?!?

He was adopted from in front of Von's. We've wanted a Tiger kitty for a long time and now we have one.

In these pictures, he actually looks big, but he's hiding under the bed and I'm laying flat on the floor so that gives you kind of an idea of how small he really is. Compared to Bearded Kitty OH MY!

Speaking of Bearded Kitty. How does he like his new toy? Well, he was a little apprehensive for the first few minutes......

But, they are becoming fast friends. They chase each other up and down the hallway and tumble around and wrestle and just have a good ole time. Yes, I think Bearded Kitty quite likes his new buddy!

They Paid Me Again!

2010-07-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

Today, Rite Aid paid me $1.03 to take home a birthday card, another tube of toothpaste and 2 single scoop ice cream cones!

Lovin' it!

Thrifty Thursday

2010-07-08T08:30:00.001-07:00

Rite Aid actually paid me money to take Crest toothpaste home yesterday! Yes, that's right. They paid me 26 cents to take toothpaste off their shelf for me to use in my home.

How'd I do that?

Crest Toothpaste on sale $2.49
UP+ Rewards............- $2.00
Coupon.................- $ .75

Equals.................- $ .26

They ended up owing me money. YIPPEE!!!! LOVE FREE STUFF (especially if it's something that I need and use)!

The Library Shelf: Stones into Schools

2010-07-07T12:41:00.001-07:00

It's supposed to be Wordless Wednesday, but this is probably the furthest thing from wordless, as the book has 448 pages!

I just looked and my last posting on The Library Shelf was last August. Oh My, that was a long time ago! I told you that I have no time to read for pleasure during the school year. I, myself, even thought I was exaggerating, but I guess that's actually the truth.

So, on the Library Shelf today:

Stones Into Schools:
Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan
by Greg Mortensen

This is a sequel (of sorts) to Greg Mortensen's first book, "Three Cups of Tea".

Several years ago, Greg had a failed attempt to climb the second highest mountain peak in the world, but came to love the people of the countries where he was climbing (Afghanistan and Pakistan).

In his first book, he tells of that "adventure" which included being rescued by the inhabitants of a tiny cliffside village. He bonded with his rescuers and made good on his promise to come back and provide schools for their children, most importantly the girls, who have been forbidden to go to school and learn.

One thing that must be remembered is this is Taliban territory. He has been kidnapped and threatened with death in the pursuit of his cause. Yet, he keeps going back, building more and more schools and bringing knowledge and education to these people. As the subtitle states, he truly believes, "Peace will come through books, not bombs."

In his latest book, he tells of traveling through the remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan with his trusted companions. This is a true account of not only his struggles and triumphs, but those of the citizens of some of the most rugged terrain in the world, all in the quest to get something that we take for granted every day, the opportunity to learn.

The current war in Afghanistan that involves US troops is not a war against the Afghan people, but against the Taliban, who happen to BE in Afghanistan. The majority of the citizens of Afghanistan would like for the Taliban to be gone too.

An enlightening and inspiring book showing just how much one man can do with a lot of sacrafice and determination (and a little help from his friends).

4th of July and Spur of the Moment

2010-07-06T13:35:00.001-07:00

We went to the Fresno Grizzlies baseball game on the 4th of July. We went last year too so I guess that's now become our tradition and a great tradition it is. It was an awesome game with some exciting plays! Grizzlies won 5-4.

Afterwards on the 4th, they have the

B-E-S-T

fireworks show ever. The explosions are all set to music and it is so loud and very close. It looks as if they are exploding on top of you as you watch. It is truly spectacular!

As an unexpected day off became available yesterday, we climbed in the car and headed for Monterey for the day to get out of the heat for a little while. It was really windy there which blew out the fog and made for a beautiful sunny 60 degree afternoon. So nice!

The sea lions are usually hanging out at the fisherman's wharf to get all the goodies off the fishing boats, but they keep getting shooed away. It ended up being a nice surprise for us as they have now gathered right on the rocks/beach at the main pier.

See those brown blobs that look like rocks? Those are ALL sea lions. There were probably over 100 of them there basking in the sun. Those that were in the water were having the time of their lives chasing each other and jumping out of the water. They were having such fun! It was like getting a free show and a real treat for sure!

Mini Freezer Cooking Session

2010-07-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

Today I did a mini freezer cooking session. No, I didn't cook a mini freezer. It's cooking and preparing things ahead of time to keep in the freezer for easy meals on busy days.

I started doing this type of thing about 15 years ago when DD was a whiney, crying, demanding baby. Thankfully she's grown out of that!

My session today consisted of:
- Making burger patties for hamburgers (for the BBQ)
- Browning ground beef for various recipes
- Making meatballs (Yummy!)
- 2 packs of Tangy Orange Chicken (for the BBQ)
- 2 packs of Teriyaki Chicken (for the BBQ)
- 2 packs of plain chicken for seasoning later with Pappy's or to cook up in the crockpot with mexican seasoning for chicken tacos
- Double batch of spaghetti sauce cooking right now in the crock pot (some of that will be for tonight's dinner along with a few meatballs)

So much better than last summer's meals of rice and beans! What a difference a year makes!

New Camera = Trip to Yosemite

2010-06-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

I got a new camera for an early birthday present so decided to head to Yosemite for a photo shoot to try it out. Mind you that was nearly three weeks ago and I'm just now putting the pictures on my blog for all to see. Why? Because I had to finish the Utah Road Trip posts first, of course.

The waterfalls were amazing. Snowfall late in the year makes for late snow melt, lucky us. The water was roaring over the cliffs, even over some of the trails. We got soaked, and it was AWESOME!

Have to share this picture of DD. Isn't it great? She's sitting on top of the bridge at the bottom of Bridalveil Falls.

Got several shots of some beautiful flowers. Too bad I don't know what kind they are.

Hey, DSis! Look! We made it to Mirror Lake this time!

But, it was WAY too cold and the water was moving WAY too fast so we didn't go swimming on this trip.

Next, we drove to Glacier Point.

It was a crowded place on this fine June day.

From here, you can look straight across to the top of Half Dome.

And, it is BIG!

After seeing it from this angle, DD has decided that she doesn't want to climb it afterall.

Here's the view of Yosemite Falls from this point:

And, here's what the Valley floor looks like from up there:

It is a L-O-N-G W-A-Y D-O-W-N!

I could not watch anybody else get close to the edge. I kept having visions of them going over the side, my grabbing their legs to rescue them and both of us tumbling down - down - down.

That's it from this trip to Yosemite. But, now we have a pass so I'm sure there will be many more during the next year.

Utah Road Trip (Part 2 - Finally!)

2010-06-24T08:20:00.001-07:00

Yes, I finally have a life again so I can finish posting the Utah Road Trip pictures. Or maybe I did have a life and that's what kept me from posting and now I have no life so I have time to post. Either way....Here we go....

I had left you at this picture of my poor car.....

Funny, it still looks that way even though I've washed it many times since then. Not really! Now it's covered with bird poop because the silly birds like to sit on the side mirrors to look at themselves. I've resorted to putting plastic bags over the mirrors every time I park.

Now....back to the road trip...

Beautiful Ogden, Utah....It's situated right at the base of these mountains. This is the view from one of the schools.

Another view from another corner.....

And another.......

And another.....

A look at old downtown Ogden....

They have a dinosaur park there.....

but we only got to see it from the car because it was closed being Easter Sunday and all (imagine that).

There's also a train museum......

but it was closed too. We did get to explore all of the trains outside though...

I even got to drive one......

While we were in Utah, we bought a house......

With lots of room....

Overlooking a lake....

Wanna come visit? Too bad. Escrow fell through...Haha.
It's actually The Man's aunt and uncle's house.
And, guess what?
They weren't home so it was closed too. Are you sensing the theme of the day here? Don't try to sightsee on Easter Sunday in Utah.

Next day....On the road again...going back home

Yes, that is a squash buggy (or slug bug).

If you look really close in this next picture, you can see the Great Salt Lake. I can't believe we went all the way to Utah and this is all I got to see of it.

We did get to see the Salt Flats though....

And a lot more of this....

Well, that was it.....The Great Utah Road Trip from April 2010.

Stay tuned for more adventures....

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

That's how I feel after the past five days!

Papers, Papers

2010-06-18T15:46:00.001-07:00

Guess what I've been doing today?

Trying to clean up this:

I'm doing the paper-shredding chacha. Wow! What a lot of paperwork accumulates in one school year. And, I'm one of the organized ones. I'd hate to see what it would look like if I wasn't.

School's Out For Summer!

2010-06-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's actually the "official" last day of work, but all the report cards are signed, sealed and off in the mail. All the student's new courses are ordered for next year. The only thing left to do is mail the time card (and clean out files - lots of files).

DD had a great first year of high school. She did well in all of her courses and even ended up with some extra credits to her name. Afraid that she would get bored over the summer, she decided to do 2 Summer classes (Music Theory and Spanish 2) and dive into some of her English coursework for next year already too.

With some time off, I hope to be on here more regular-like and update with more stories of our adventures.

Awesome Road Trip - Utah Style

2010-04-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I actually don't know what "Utah" style is, but it was a road trip TO Utah.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Carol adventure unless there was some type of mishap. And, it was only a few hours into the trip.......

Snow.....

LOTS of snow......

The online weather DID NOT forecast snow.

We needed chains.

We didn't have chains.

We bought chains. But.....

we had Sam put the chains on the car.

Conversation in the car on Donner Summit:
Me: "It is VERY lonely out here. Now you can see why those people in the Donner party died and the survivors had to eat each other."
The Man: "Where was CHP?"

Oh My! (Of course if you don't know about the Donner party or CHP it won't be funny. For those who do, enjoy the laugh. I sure did!)

Forty miles later.....We took the chains off. (Sorry no pictures of that. It was just plain TOO COLD to be taking pictures OUTSIDE of the car.)

We arrived in Reno....late....much later than expected due to the whole snow-thing.

Stayed the night there at Circus, Circus and we were on the road again EARLY the next morning. (This is us LEAVING town, rather than coming into town.)

And, we're off.......

Rollin', rollin', rollin'

What the $*(%?

Did we make a wrong turn?

This "Beverly Hills" must be REALLY exclusive because NOBODY lives here.

Rollin', rollin', rollin'

Rollin', rollin, rollin'

WOW! That is one LONG road with absolutely nothing on it. Dang good thing we had snacks!

Honestly, we did stop at a truck stop to get some gas and play a slot machine.

Several thousand miles later....actually it's only about 850 miles I believe....We arrived in Ogden.

My poor car.....just look at it.

One of the first things we did was wash that puppy to get rid of all the salt and muck and get her sparklin' again.

to be continued...........(Why? Because the State of California says that in order to keep a teaching credential all teacher's must take 4 MORE college courses before a certain date......so I have to do HOMEWORK on Spring Break....Imagine that?)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

Spring Break

2010-04-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is only hours away! I can see it from here! I love my job, but everyone needs a break every once in awhile (even from something they love).

And, with Spring Break comes.............

ROAD (FIELD) TRIP

Wonder what wild and crazy adventures this one brings.

IT'S SNOWING!

2010-03-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

We woke up to snow flurries this morning! Two days ago it was tank top and shorts weather.

I'm running through the house shouting, "It's snowing, It's snowing!" DD says to me, "You get more excited about the snow than a 2 year old." Hey, what can I say? As long as I don't have to go drive in it, bring it on!

However, it is a major distraction. I have to look out the window every 23 seconds to see if it's still coming down, and I should be concentrating on getting all of this work done by Friday so I don't have to do it over Spring Break.

Monterey/Carmel Day Trip

2010-03-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

We went to Monterey and Carmel on Saturday. It was a gorgeous, sunny and warm day, kind of unusual for that area. Love it, beach, sand, and sun. Love the smell of the ocean, the crashing of the waves. Great day! But.........a true "Carol" trip would never be complete without some kind of mishap. Luckily, this one happend BEFORE we got on the road.

We went to the casino for dinner Friday night (yummy omelettes!), and when we came out to the car, there was a flat tire. Looking on the bright side.....it didn't happen on the road, at night with no lights, in the middle of a rainstorm. It happened in the parking garage with bright lights and a roof over our heads. After 20 minues, we were on the road with this stylin' spare tire.

So...our first stop on the trip to Monterey on Saturday morning was to the tire shop.

And, of course, I get questioned, "Why are you taking a picture of the tire shop?" My answer, "I'm writing a book." That usually stops the questions......

Next stop on our adventure......the side of the road to set the GPS system. I don't know why one needs a GPS system to get to a place they've driven to at least 500 times before, but hey, it was another great photo opportunity for me.

Next stop...I think it was Jack in the Box. Not for me....I ate a wholesome oatmeal breakfast at home before leaving, and packed good snacks for munching in the car. I'm no novice when it comes to road trips. I come prepared. (But, no bananas allowed in the car. Don't want a repeat of that Reno incident. - Joke for those who were there and know what I'm talking about.)

We drove into Carmel the backway (known only to locals) to avoid the traffic jams on the main highway. We past so many quaint little beach cottages. So cute! Oh, and we drove past Clint Eastwood's house as well. I couldn't see the house because of the gate and the trees, but I did see he has a nice car. We walked through the Plaza (I think that's what it's called). A bunch of little shops. The best (for me at least) was the toy shop because I found a gross kid's book about bodily functions that apparently only I could appreciate. I have no idea what else the store had because I read the book while others browsed. We did not spend enough time browsing through the shops because one of our entourage was having an "I need to eat" meltdown. On the way to eat lunch, we did however drive along the ocean looking at some not-so-quaint oceanfront homes with spectacular views of the water.

On to lunch at El Torrito's in Monterey. The portion sizes were tiny. I mean REALLY tiny. But, it's right on the water and the view is spectacular. Here's the view form our table.

After our late lunch, we were off to do some antique shopping. Shopping, that's all we ever do at antique stores. Never buying. We save the buying for the thrift stores were we usually find lots of treasures. No thrift stores today though.

After antiquing, we went to a BBQ. And, then a late night drive home. Sounds like we did a lot of eating, but really we didn't considering that we were gone from early morning until nearly midnight. All in all, a very nice trip.

Can't wait to see what our next adventure holds for us as we head off to Utah sometime during Spring Break.

Yes, It's True!

2010-03-25T13:35:00.001-07:00

I finally fixed my photo editing software. YIPPEE!!!! I'm back in business.

Last month, we took a brief trip to Orange County. On the way home, we stopped by the Queen Mary and DD was in H.E.A.V.E.N. She is in love with all things European right now (well, not all things....she would probably pass on pureed parsnips and the like.) The phone booth from yesterday's post is located outside before you enter the Queen Mary.

Here we are lounging on the deck:

Very unflattering picture of me. I should have worn black instead of white. But, oh well. It is what it is. At least my hair looks good. Thanks to DNephew for the best haircut I ever had!

DD also bought a Russian soda (which was fabulous), and she picked up a British newspaper to bring home.

The only bad thing about the adventure that day was the escalator to the main deck was broken and we had to climb about 10,000 STEEP stairs to get up there. What a hike that was!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

MIA

2010-01-14T18:23:00.001-08:00

Gone again, gone again, jiggitty jig.......

Yes, I've been MIA AGAIN! I do have another REALLY good reason though.

My photo editing program (or whatever it's called) won't load pictures from my camera to the dumputer, and I don't like blog posts without pictures so I haven't done any blog posts since the thing went kaput.

I need to uninstall the software and reinstall it to see if that will solve the problem. BUT....before I do that, I need to save all of the some-odd thousand pictures that are on the program and put them on CD's so that just in case everything disappears, I will still have access to my pictures. Therein lies another problem........It takes FOREVER! Well, not really forever, but it just seems like it.

My goal is to have this whole thing taken care of by the end of January. However, it is face to face meeting time, and the end of the 1st semester, and report card time........so I'm not saying January of which year. teeheehee

Here's Another One

2009-12-18T17:16:00.001-08:00

Can you BEEEE-LIEVE this? A miniature gingerbread house on the side of a cup of cocoa? Oh My! Where do these people find the time? Maybe in a previous life I might have done something like this or maybe in a lifetime after this one.....But, right now, it AIN't happenin'. If you come to my house for hot cocoa, you will be lucky first of all, if I even have any hot cocoa and second, I might (and that'a big might) give you some miniature marshmallows to go on top.

However, I do have the next two weeks off so who knows. Maybe I'll make a couple dozen of these little treats. LOL They are AWFULLY cute!

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

2009-12-14T21:40:00.000-08:00

DD and I just, and I mean JUST, finished up Algebra for the 1st semester. YIPPEE!!! Did you hear the shouting?!?! What a relief to be done with that! It's been a struggle all the way through, but she's finally getting it. Maybe now I can have a life (at least until January) LOL.

It is not my custom to allow TV viewing during Algebra time because DD is VERY EASILY DISTRACTED, especially when she's having to do something she doesn't want to be doing in the first place. However, tonight I made the one-time exception so that we could watch Susan Boyle on TV Guide Network. We watched her video on YouTube several months ago as she auditioned for Britain's Got Talent so we knew she was a wonderful singer. During the show tonight, they didn't actually ever show her singing the song, but I kept hearing clips of "Wild Horses" by the Rolling Stones. Don't throw rotten tomatoes at me, but I'm not a real big fan of the Rolling Stones. However, I am familiar with this song and I knew it wasn't the Rolling Stones singing it on the show...I could at least tell that much. So I went to my trusty dumbputer and looked it up on YouTube. WOW! Susan Boyles version of "Wild Horses" BLOWS the Stone version outta the water! You HAVE to listen to it. Click here and turn up the volume: WILD HORSES.

Too Much Time........

2009-11-22T17:22:00.001-08:00

OK, so I haven't been here in awhile to post. I've been busy. VERY BUSY.

But, I had to share this one. I'm all for creativity in all things, but this is just TOO much. I think someone has WAY too much time on their hands. She makes her own stencils to design the top of coffee and lattes. Oh My.......

Click here Do It Yourself Coffee Stencils to see how you can make some for yourself. And, if you have the time for that then please swing by this way to help me out. I'm buried in files.

OUCH!

2009-10-15T09:40:00.000-07:00

Well, no wonder I've been feeling so awful. Tuesday I could stand the pain in my mouth no longer and miraculously got into a dentist. I had a root canal done Tuesday evening....Yes, evening! I walked out of there at 7:30 p.m. in the pouring, record setting rain.

Anyway, I had a bacteria infection in one of my molars. So, in addition to the viral thing going on in my body with Shingles, I also had a bacteria thing happening. No wonder I felt bad.

I have added two more prescriptions to the mini-pharmacy on my desk to fight all of these cooties.

What fun..........NOT! My mouth is now trying to recover from the root canal trauma.

The good news....I've lost 5 lbs!

What? Another Wordless Month?

2009-10-07T19:30:00.000-07:00

I really do have a good reason for the lack of posting.

Honest....

Really....

Wanna see?

This nasty little rash on the back of my right arm is SHINGLES! Yuck! Ouch! And, DOUBLE OUCH!!!!

I've been sick and in pain for 3 weeks with this awful crud which is actually Chicken Pox come back to life a hundred years after the first round. OK, not really a hundred years, but it has been well over 30 years since I had the chicken pox.

The rash covers just a small area, but it's ugly. It itches. It's annoying. But most of all.....it just plain HURTS! And, it hurts well beyond the area of the rash.....like we're talking my whole arm. Plus, it's made me VERY sensitive to light causing HORRIBLE headaches (and I don't usually get headaches). Even the light from my computer screen causes pain....which is a BAD thing considering I'm a "virtual" school teacher. I turned the brightness down on my monitors, but that didn't help much. I had to resort to wearing sunglasses over my reading glasses just to work.

See.....Ain't it pretty? NOT!

What? I'm smiling? Yep, what else can I do? DD says that she doesn't hear me complaining about the pain very much, but what good would it actually do for me to complain. It sure as heck wouldn't make it go away. So, I just smile.......

And, sleep......Well, there isn't much of that happening. The doctor gave me Prednisone for the rash and it's keeping me up. UGH!

Speaking of the doctor.......She says this could go on for a couple of months. A COUPLE OF MONTHS!!!!! It could literally be Thanksgiving or *gasp* Christmas before I'm finished with this mess.

Let me tell you, "There ain't enough Calgon in the world to take me away from all this, but I sure wish there were."

Can You Relate?

2009-09-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

Wordless Month????.......and Shirt Refashion

2009-09-13T20:26:00.001-07:00

HA!HA!HA! Didn't mean for Wordless Wednesday to turn into Wordless MONTH! LOL

The beginning of the school year (what we call "launch") is super hectic with 10-12 hour work days, 7 days a week. It's been crazy!

But, today I said to heck with work and finished refashioning this shirt for DD.

I started with this:

It was an old man's shirt (not like an "old man with a cane", but an "old" shirt that a man would wear - LOL).

I first took off the collar which left me with a stand up band-collar (sorry I don't know what those are called - maybe a mandarian collar?).

I took the breast pocket off, added a stripe of solid turqouise to the top of the pocket for accent and repositioned it on the lower right front of the shirt.

I cut a couple inches off each side seam to make it a little more fitted and curvey. Can't make it TOO fitted though as DD is still growing.

Then, I took off the sleeves. I shortened those and added the solid turquoise band at the bottom to make them more girly. (There is a thin turqouise stripe which runs through the plaid on the shirt.) When I reattached them, I did a little gathering at the shoulders.

Finally, I added a slightly gathered stripe of the turqouise on each side of the button placket to give it more color. (Well, actually it's main purpose was to cover up a spot that I couldn't get out.) I wanted it to be more ruffled and puckered, but after I had attached it, I wasn't about to take it back off.

I would have liked to cut the bottom to make it straight, but DD wanted me to leave it curved.

Here is the final refashion:

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

Letter to the Construction Crew

2009-08-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Road Construction Workers,

It is only Day 2 of your project, and I already have a couple questions for you.

1. Must you park at the end of the driveway and tell jokes and bellylaugh at 6:45 in the morning?!?! I'm glad that you are so happy to be at work, but could you please keep it down to a giggle for a little while.

2. Is it absolutely necessary to use the jackhammer at 7:23 a.m.?!?! My gosh that thing is loud!

I understand that you have a job to do so I don't mind you working. I'm already awake at those times anyway. But I really don't like loud noises until after about 8:00 a.m. and even that's pushing it, so could you please do your "quiet" activities until that time. I'd really appreciate it.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

The wonderful neighbor living at the construction site.

Under Construction

2009-08-17T21:26:00.001-07:00

This morning at 6:54 a.m. these signs where put up closing our road. And let me tell you, they were not quiet putting up those signs. Good thing I was already awake.

The road to our humble abode is under construction (until further notice or the rains come pouring down or they actually finish whatever it is they are doing out there.......). We now have to take a detour to get in and out of our home. Luckily, there is another paved road close by so with a few extra turns we can get here without having to go 4-wheelin'. Many places around here only have one way in and one way out.

I'm not for sure and for certain what the project is, but I've heard a rumor that they are putting in a traffic signal because of the new fire station they are building across the highway. Whatever they are doing, they sure are noisy!

Back to School

2009-08-16T16:03:00.000-07:00

Today's the big day. DD starts high school!

Here she is. All ready to go.

But, I think she probably feels more like this.

Even though she's homeschooled, it's still a big deal. She's going to be doing a different program this year, and I'm no longer her "official, credentialed" teacher. She now has to answer to someone else besides me. And, "gasp", she's going to have to put her name on EVERY PAPER! That's something she hasn't done in two years. She's starting off the school year with a full schedule: Algebra 1, English 9, Cultures and Geography, Biology 1, Spanish 1, Art, PE, 7 Habits of Effectiveness, and Clarinet. She's going to be one BUSY gal!

And, I start back to work today. I will be in training sessions via the computer all week from 8:30 - 5:00 every day. I know there are changes that have been in the works over the summer so it will be interesting to see what my job will entail this year. I am almost certain that I will no longer have to travel to other areas to meet with my students. The other teacher that lived in town here moved away, and I'm supposed to be getting all of her students. It will be so nice to not have to spend so much time driving. No more singing, "On the road again....."

Wardrobe Refashion

2009-08-15T08:19:00.001-07:00

I've taken the pledge. The 2 month Wardrobe Refashion pledge that is.

What is "Wardrobe Refashion"?

Wardrobe Refashion was started by Nichola Prested after deciding to quit buying new manufactured clothing in a bid to do her part for the planet, save money and improve her sewing skills.

Those who take the pledge promise to not purchase new, manufactured clothing for the period of 2, 4, 6 months OR LIFE. They pledge to refashion, renovate, and recycle preloved items with their own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium or make their own from scratch.

Since I'm already doing this anyway because of my current financial situation due to the California budget crisis, I figured I'd take it one step further and take the pledge for 2 months to start. I can't afford to buy anything new anyway.

This round of the Wardrobe Refashion doesn't officially begin until September 1st, but I've already got my first project completed (I hope that's OK).

Remember my Thrifty Thursday post about the old white sheets? Click HERE.

You know I have zero money right now so when DD announced to me that she only had one shirt that still fit, I wasn't quite sure what we were going to do.

One white sheet, a little scrap fabric, a pattern from my collection, a few hours on the sewing machine and this is what we came up with.

I had to adapt the pattern a bit because the front was TOO low for Miss Modesty (aka DD) so I added the additional pink fabric at the top. I think it actually makes this top better by matching the band and ties. Oh, and I didn't have the right width elastic so I took apart a fitted sheet and used the elastic from that. Talk about a recycled and refashioned project!

DD loves it! I love it! It looks SO cute on her! I'd say this pattern is a keeper for us. It's adaptable with different types of sleeves from sleeveless to long sleeve and we can always do different lengths as well.

"I Can't Believe It!" Day

2009-08-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today is a day full of "I Can't Believe It" moments.

Moment #1 - I can't believe it.....Today is the last day of my summer break already. I start back to work on Monday. (Need the money, but don't need the work - I'm sure you can relate. OR If you can't relate, at least you know what I mean, right?)

Moment #2 - I can't believe it....In addition to losing 10 weeks of income due to the state budget crisis, I'm now not getting my child support either. It seems that although the money very well may be sitting there in the state's account, the workers at Child Support Services were forced to take mandatory unpaid days off (furloughs) as well......SO, they are way behind on processing all the disbursements of payments. Now, while the state is making interest on all that money waiting to be sent to the proper accounts, lots of custodial parents and their children are going without. Thank you very much State of California!

Moment #3 - I can't believe it.....My bed, my actual bed, is pictured on The Nester's blog. What you don't know who The Nester is? She's only one of the most famous of all bloggers in blogland. She has a fabulous blog in which she tells all about how she turns her family's houses into homes. Yes, I did say houses. Not because she is super wealthy and has a residence in every state, but because she moves. She moves A LOT. So, she has wonderful ideas on how to spruce up a home, a rental home at that, which you may or may not know that you cannot do any permanent changes to for fear of the dreaded landlord having a fit. Anyway, MY bed is pictured on her blog. Wanna see it? Click here.

Well, it's not actually MY bed, the one that I lay my pretty head down in each night, but it is EXACTLY like my bed. I can't wait to see what she has planned for it in her new bedroom (they recently moved again). I'm sure I'll get some inspiration (aka ideas to steal).

Moment #4 - I can't believe it! My DD, My baby girl, My Buggerboo, is starting high school on Monday. How did that happen? She's only in 3rd grade and still wears cute little Gymboree clothes!

Thrifty Thursday and A Quote

2009-08-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

A drawer of old white sheets:

An empty tin:

AND

A clock:

What do all of these things have in common? Absolutely nothing. EXCEPT that they are all in the process of being "refashioned". We have three projects going on right now. Each of which started as one of the above pictured items.

Stay tuned to see what they each become as we continue in our thrifty ways.

~~~~~~~~~~

And, only because I read this today, and it's too good to pass up, here is the

"Quote for the Day"

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the
morning the devil shudders and says "Oh shoot, she's awake!" ~Unknown~

Wordless Wednesday: Blue Angels

2009-08-12T18:39:00.001-07:00

The Library Shelf: Didn't My Skin Used to Fit?

2009-08-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

I'm not actually finished with this book yet, only half way through, but I just had to share something.

This book is a total spoof on life after forty, and it is HILARIOUS! Why? Because I can relate to it, if not from personal experience, then from the experience of those around me.

For instance, Chapter 16 is titled "Thanks for the Memory....Loss". The first paragraph on page 70 reads:

"What I don't get is why our memory has to go on the blink at a time when we're given so much to remember. Our doctors tell us to take three of one pill four times a day, four of another pill three times a day and one of yet another every ten hours for twelve days. How are we supposed to remember all that?......"

Well, I think Dear Ole Dad (DOD) has that one all figured out. Just look at this:

Yep, you're seeing it right. He's got alarm clocks lined up, set at different times throughout the day, with the pills he is supposed to take at said times on top of the appropriate alarm clock. Weird or Genius? Hmmmmmmmm..........

When I took this picture, I though weird, but it seems that Ms. Martha Bolton has been contemplating this very thing and put it in her book. LOL

Thrifty Thursday - Cookie Mix

2009-08-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

Did you know there is more than one Cookie Monster? Yes, the other one lives here in this very house. Maybe you have one too! And, those store bought cookies can get expensive (plus they're really not nearly as good as homemade anyway).

I like to have this cookie mix on hand to whip up a batch of cookies in a matter of minutes. While cookies aren't exactly the best thing for you, by making them yourself you not only save tons of money, but you can customize them with more wholesome ingredients (if you're so inclined).

Here is my recipe for a basic cookie mix. Then, you can make just a couple of additions to have 5 different varieties of scrumptious yummies. (HINT: We think the sugar cookies are the BEST!)

BASIC COOKIE MIX

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shortening, preferably butter flavored Crisco

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut shortening with a pastry blender until mix resembles course meal.
Store in container with tight-fitting lid, even a ziploc bag will work. Makes about 8 cups.

HINT: I usually double or triple this recipe to have a lot on hand in my pantry.

CHOCOLATE COOKIES

2 cups Basic Cookie Mix
1 egg unbeaten
3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa
2 Tbs milk
1 Tbs vanilla extract

Bake on a well-greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 12 - 15 minutes.

HINT: We haven't tried this yet, but they might be even better with some peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips and nuts.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 cups Basic Cookie Mix
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine mix, egg, milk and extract. Add chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto a well-greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

GINGER COOKIES

2 cups Basic Cookie Mix
1 egg, unbeaten
1 Tbs dark molasses
4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda

Combine all ingredients until well blended. Because of the molasses, these cookies tend to stick, so make certain cookie sheet is very well greased. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes.

OATMEAL COOKIES

2 cups of Basic Cookie Mix
1/2 cup uncooked, old fashioned or quick rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins (optional - We don't like raisins so we leave them out - Unless we are making a batch to take to DMother.)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional - We love nuts so we put them in.)
1 egg, unbeaten
2 Tbs milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients until well blended. Bake on well-greased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes.

SUGAR COOKIES

2 cups Basic Cookie Mix
1 egg, unbeaten
1 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
sugar

Combine all ingredients until well blended. Refrigerate dough until well chilled, at least 1 hour. Then, using your hands, roll dough into small balls (if it gets too sticky, lightly spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray or rub them with canola oil). Drop the dough balls into a small bowl with sugar, turning to coat. Place on a well greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes.

NOTES:

~ These cookie recipes are supposed to make about 40 cookies. However, it truly all depends on the size you make them of course.

~ I have found with my current oven that 12 - 15 minutes is WAY TOO LONG. Check your cookies as they bake. We like ours soft so about 9 - 10 minutes seems to be about right.

~ The baked cookies freeze wonderfully. Make up a double or triple batch and keep them in your freezer for quick treats.

HAPPY BAKING!

Wordless Wednesday (With a PS)

2009-08-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

P.S. Wordless Wednesday is interrupted with a few words to explain the current purpose of my Wordless Wednesday posts. All Wordless Wednesday pictures are taken by yours truly. I am attempting to improve my photography skills and this gives me a place to see my progress as well as inspiration to keep practicing.

Today's photos were taken traveling on the road from "the city" headed back towards home. No! I wasn't taking pictures as I was driving down the road at blazing speeds. I was stopped at road construction and decided to make good use of the time so I rolled down the window and started clicking away with the camera. (Aren't you relieved to hear that?)

Beans and Rice Time

2009-08-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

Well, we knew it was coming sometime this summer with my losing 6 weeks of income in addition to the usual 4 weeks during summer. (Yes, for you math gurus, that's a total of 10 weeks with no pay.) Today was the day - beans and rice time.

This afternoon DD cooked up a big pot of beans (from scratch). I'm talking a BIG POT! Look at this thing. It's 10 1/2 inches tall. This is like they use in the army. She's serious about her beans!

Please excuse the beans on the stove top. She's also a very messy cook.

Her beans cooked for 2 1/2 hours until they were just to her liking. Then, it was time for her to mash them up and add the spices. While she was doing that, I made a very simple Spanish rice (though I didn't use nearly as big a pot as she did).

DD put rice in the bottom of her bowl, then a few HEAPING spoonfuls of beans (more like a shovelful), and topped it off with cheese. She was very proud of her masterpiece and she named it "Bean Surprise" (the surprise being the rice underneath).

I don't really care for beans that much. Well, actually, let's just say NOT AT ALL! So, I had a bowl of rice. And, just to make DS happy that I didn't have a meal of only starch/carb, I added a bit of shredded cheese (protein) to the top as well.

It's not that there is anything wrong with beans and rice. DD loves beans, and I love rice. It's just a family joke that it's come to this. (Hey, at least we still have toilet paper - 2 fulls rolls and 2 half rolls at this point in time.)

I've Been Slimed

2009-08-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

DD and I just went down to the garage to put some things away. After the snake experience from earlier this year, we always make a thorough look-through before entering. Upon opening the door, DD spotted a little frog.

She decided that she wanted to catch the thing (I often wonder about that girl). In it's attempt to get away from the giant trying to trap it, the creature jumped right on my foot and scared the bejeebers out of me. I let out a scream (good thing the neighbors are away on a camping trip). DD thought is was hilarious. I thought it was horrifying! I've been SLIMED! EEEEWWWWW!!!!!

Thrifty Thursday - A New Slip

2009-07-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

First, I just found out that the Salvation Army Thrift Store that I go to in the "city" has 50% off all clothing on every Wednesday and Friday. While that might not be exciting to some, I'm thrilled. Why? Because I love thrift stores ALMOST as much as I love libraries and craft/fabric stores. Also, this same store marks clothing down to 50% if it has been in the store for more than 7 days. The tags on the clothing are marked with the day they are received so it's pretty easy to figure out. Say, you find a wonderful skirt that is marked $3.30. The date is June 26 on the tag, and the date that you find this skirt is July 22. Well, that brings it to $1.15. Then, July 22 just happens to be a Wednesday so another 50% off that and your final purchase price for a new-to-you skirt is 0.58. That's right - 58 cents! Yippee for me! Now to convince DD that it's really alright to buy clothes at the thrift store again. (She's kind of burned out on the whole thrift store experience due to her mother's overzealousness during her younger years.)

On to the main "Thrifty Thursday" feature of the day:

I have a couple longer dresses and my "new-to-me" skirt from the above example. They are great for summer as they are flowy and cool. But, I have a problem. In the sunlight, you can see right through them.

Enter the half slip. The half slip solves the peep show problem...sort of. You see, my half-slip is above the knee so it looks really funky when you stand in the sun and can still see through the bottom half of the skirt. Plus, it's nylon (or some other equally synthetic fabric). Not a good fabric for summer comfort.

I have no money to buy a new slip so I think to myself, "How hard could it be to make one?" So that's what I did. I found some instructions online. I went to my beautifully organized fabric stash and pulled out an old, ivory-colored sheet (perfect for summer because it's cotton). I had some elastic in my sewing notions basket just waiting to be made into a waistband. Then, it was just a matter of a couple cuts with the rotary cutter, some pinning, a few runs through the sewing machine, and VOILA a new half slip perfect for my longer skirt/dresses and summer-time heat.

My favorite part is the lace trim. It's from my inheritance from one of my Grandmas. It's so pretty!

New half slip for FREE!!!!

AND, it was so easy I think I may make myself a skirt or two using these same instructions. Different fabric, of course! Maybe even a colorful sheet if I find one on my next thrift store scavenge.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

The Library Shelf - Knit Two

2009-07-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I have posted what's on The Library Shelf. Not because I haven't been reading. Quite the opposite. I'm in the process of reading SEVEN, yes SEVEN, books! I had to put myself on restriction from the library until I get them finished. Since the library is one of my favorite places in the entire world, that is quite a punishment for me. Even if I don't actually "need" any more books, I like to go there just to visit them.

SO, last night I finished one of the books.

I was so upset when I finished reading this author's "The Friday Night Knitting Club" because I just didn't think it was fair to leave us hanging like that and end the book. So, I was thrilled that she wrote this sequel. And, it's GOOD! We get to follow the members of the Friday Night Knitting Club of the Manhattan Walker & Daughter knitting shop as they rely on each other as they struggle with new challenges.

I can't say anything so as not to give away the story, but if you liked the first one, you'll love this one too!

Yosemite - Go Sit on a Rock!

2009-07-27T22:19:00.000-07:00

For DD's 14th birthday on July 17th, DSis, DD and I went to Yosemite. Yes, you read that right, on the 17th AND it's now already the 27th (almost the 28th) and I'm just now posting these pictures. Better late than never, huh?!?! You've actually already seen this first one because it is the picture from last week's Wordless Wednesday post.

We left bright and early at 7:00 a.m. in order to beat the traffic, tour busses and the heat, and to maybe get through the gate before the rangers arrived so we wouldn't have to pay the entrance fee. Shucks, darn! We didn't beat any of them.

Once we reached Yosemite Valley, our first stop was Bridalveil Falls. Here's a shot I took looking up through the trees from the trail. It's my favorite picture of the day.

Here, I am with John Muir! I can't believe I hiked all that way, and then found him on the trail. And, he was wearing the BEST boots! (Actually, he is in the Visitor's Center so if you go to Yosemite chances are you'll bump into him too.)

Next up, DD decided she'd try to catch Yosemite Falls. I think she did a pretty good job, and she didn't even get wet!

After hiking up to the base of Yosemite Falls (really not that far and it's all paved so I don't know that I'd actually call it a hike, but we can pretend), we decided to take a nap.

WAIT A MINUTE! That's not us! Just a couple of other people who probably couldn't find a campsite so decided to use a bench instead. And, they really were sound asleep. They even had pillows!

We didn't take a nap, but we did rest for a little while by riding around on the shuttle bus. We rode over to Curry Village where we ate our lunch and treated ourselves to some yummy ice cream. While we were at Curry Village, I decided to catch a bear.

There are a lot of bear in Yosemite. They cause such mischief looking for food that special "bear-proof" trash cans are installed. Well, I don't know if they are really bear-proof, but they are DEFINITELY DSis proof. She needed to throw out some trash and couldn't get the trash can open so she put it on the side and told us that the trash can didn't work. She even told DD that she'd give her a dollar if she could get it open. DD walked right over there, pulled the lid down, threw the trash in, walked back and collected her buck!

For an encore, she tried to hold Half Dome in the palm of her hand, but she wasn't quite tall enough.

I really thought she had grown a lot recently, as she's past me up and is over 5'6" now, but apparently this fireplace was made for Paul Bunyan or Goliath or someone of that stature because DD fit right inside. (This is one of the big fireplaces inside the Ahwahnee Hotel.)

The last stop of the day was a hike to Mirror Lake (aka Mirror Pond) at the base of Half Dome. It was hot! We were tired! Half way there, DSis and I bailed on DD and said we weren't going any further. We went down to the creek instead to put our feet in to cool off.

DD contemplates, "Should I go all the way in?"

DSis and I kept telling her, "Do it. You'll dry. It'll be fun."

So.....Did she or didn't she?

She did....

I tell you if I had a bathing suit on, I would have too! The water was very refreshing!

This brings me to the last photo of the trip.

That's DSis sitting on a rock. She said, "Hey, I'm in Yosemite sitting on a rock. Isn't that what people come to Yosemite for?"

NO, sorry DSis, the slogan is "Go CLIMB a rock." Not "sit" on a rock. But, you're very special and they might consider changing it just for you!

Thrifty Thursday - Taco Meat Seasoning

2009-07-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Since I'm one of those lucky California teachers that has a signed contract for the upcoming school year, I do not qualify for unemployment benefits despite the fact that I had to take 6 weeks of mandatory, unpaid time off. That has required me to do some very creative financing this summer. Our new pad came with a refrigerator, washer and dryer. I had ours from the old house which we purchased less than two years ago (the appliances not the house). So.... I sold the refrigerator and have people interested in buying the washer and dryer. That along with my birthday money MAY pay the rent for August. I'm selling my creative projects on Etsy, collecting plastic for recycling, and anything else that I can think of that is legal and ethical.

Which brings me to this post and the title "Thrifty Thursday". I've been in this predicament before so unfortunately I'm no stranger to this (although I kind of thought it was be over once I finished college - that was the point of going to college, right?)......OK, I got sidetracked there.....

One way that I save some money is by making whatever I can from scratch. DD loves beans, beans, beans (good thing cuz' they're cheap and sometimes FREE from our "secret source"). And, what goes good with beans? Tacos!

I usually buy ground beef when it is on a really good sale, brown it all up (yes, 10 lbs of it - sometimes more). Then, I put it in ziploc bags and freeze it. Makes for easy meal preparation. And, I (umm....DD) only has to wash the nasty pan once.

So, I take one pack of the already browned ground beef out of the freezer and thaw it in the microwave. Then, dump that into a skillet, add 1/2 cup of water and the following Taco Meat Seasoning mix. Simmer for 5 - 10 minutes. VIOLA! Yummy taco filling! (Thrifty too!)

It's much cheaper to make our own mix than buy those little packages at the supermarket, and it's easy! Get your spices in bulk at Costco, Sam's Club, Smart and Final, Dollar Tree, wherever you can find them (BUT not at the grocery store - TOO EXPENSIVE!)

TACO MEAT SEASONING

Makes enough mix for one pound of ground meat.

1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper (Ceyenne) (optional) (I actually only use 1/4 tsp because this stuff is HOT!)
1/2 teaspoon instant minced garlic or garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon drived oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend well.

I usually make about 10x this amount at once. I line up 10 little Tupperware midgies (you know the ones - those little cute, tiny ones) and I measure away into each container, put the lid on each and shake. That way, whenever we're in the mood for Mexican food, the seasoning mix is all ready to go. If you don't have the containers, you can use sandwich bags just as well (I've done that too).

Another easy way to use this which I'm doing right now is to place some boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot, add enough chicken broth to cover the chicken and add the above taco meat seasoning. Cook on high for about 4 hours. Shred cooked chicken with two forks and roll it up in a tortilla with your other fixin's. Super easy, super good and best of all for HOT summer days like today - it doesn't heat up the kitchen.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

Office with a View!

2009-07-16T14:39:00.000-07:00

DD and I have been sharing an office/classroom for the past two years, first in the old house and then again when we moved here. We have had a lot of good times working side by side, but.......all good things must come to an end.

You see....it's like this. I gave her the master bedroom in our new pad for a couple reasons:

1 - It's a big room, and she has more stuff than I do.
and
2 - It has the attached bathroom where the kitty litter box is and it stinks. (Mean mom that I am, but hey, I outrank her and her nose isn't as sensitive as mine is.)

We needed to be in the same room for school because we both had to be on the internet at the same time throughout the day(me for work and DD for classes). We didn't have a wireless router so we had to both be in the room where the hookup was located. With DD's move to high school and move to a different home schooling program, she no longer has a school computer so she doesn't need to be on the internet during the day any longer. That was a long winded way of getting to the reason that she has now moved her school desk and bookcase into her room. She has her own space for school now.

AND (drumroll please)

I have my OWN OFFICE!!!! And, it comes with a VIEW!

I used to look at this:

Nice with the cute gingham covered bulletin board and all, but not really that great to look at all day long.

I moved my desk/tables and bookcases around to look like this (excuse the mess, I'm not finished yet):

And, now look at my view!:

Ain't it perty? Much better, don't you think?

The rest of the room is an absolute disaster waiting for the cleaning fairy to come and do her magic so it looks like this.

Just keepin' it real folks. Didn't want you to get TOO jealous of my new space! Now, anyone wanna come help me finish?

P.S. Tomorrow is DD's 14th birthday, and we'll be off bright and early for a day in Yosemite!

A New Entry Table

2009-07-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

Well, those who know me well have seen me make something from nothing (or at least from what I have on hand without spending any money) for years and this is no exeption.

I wanted a table for the entryway, but I didn't have any money to purchase anything. I also needed some additional storage for craft items.

Brainstorm, search the web and read some blogs for inspiration, shop the garage and find:

Canvas painter's dropcloth~

And my childhood desk~

Next step, get DD to help me carry the desk up the stairs which is quite a chore as neither of us are weightlifters or bodybuilders with muscles or anything like that.

Then, iron the dropcloth. (WOW! There is a LOT of fabric in a dropcloth and it's thick fabric at that!)

Drape the dropcloth over the desk, add a few accessories and this is how it looks

I LOVE IT! Perfect height, perfect size, perfect price! (And, look at all that hidden storage I have underneath it all.)

For more ideas on how to use a canvas painter's dropcloth for everything besides painting check out A Little Dropcloth at Ask Kari and Kijsa.

Where Did She Go?!?!

2009-07-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

HAWAII?

A CRUISE?

Or Maybe CAMPING?

NO, NO, and NO!

I have not gone anywhere so I have no really fun and exciting excuses for not posting anything here for over two weeks. Well, that's not exactly true. I did have my birthday, but it certainly didn't last TWO WEEKS! And, yes, DD did make that wonderful, yummy chocolate cake for me and YES, it was GOOD!

What I have been doing is sewing, sewing sewing. Go check out my latest creations on my crafting blog,Oh It's Sew Cute.

While the Mouse is Asleep....

2009-06-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

The Cat Will Play!

This is what I found awaiting me in the bathroom when I woke up today. It seems Bearded Kitty got into a little mischief. DD taught him how to open doors, and he's taken it to the next level. He's opening cabinets and pulling things off the shelves! Since DD is almost 14, I thought I was long past this stage - but I might have to get some of those baby locks if this keeps up!

Let Them (ME!) Eat Cake

2009-06-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of Summer Break was spent doing more paper shredding. I filled another entire big garbage bag...the lawn and leaf type, 33-gallon jobbers. It's all ready to go out to the dumpster, and I'm DONE! Another exciting day! Actually, I need a few non-exciting days so that is just fine with me.

Onto a much more fun subject.........CAKE, more specifically Birthday Cake. I'm thinking about having DD make this cake for me for my birthday on Saturday. Doesn't it look yummy?!?!

Oh, the gooey, chocolateyness of it! And, it's super easy to make. Click here for recipe. I hope she'll whip up one of these delights for me! I might even invite you all over to share a bite if you're lucky.

Summer Break - Day 1

2009-06-22T14:42:00.001-07:00

It's Day 1 of Summer Break 2009, and what am I doing?.......shredding papers! No kidding! That's what I'm doing. How exciting, huh?

So many other things that I'd rather be doing, but one of my "summer" goals is to get my office straightened up, organized, decorated, etc, and in order to do that, I've got to get rid of some of these mountains of papers.

It's not quite THAT bad, but I've already filled one garbage bag, and I've got another one halfway there. And, those are just papers from my files. I haven't even started on the top of my desk yet.

Oh, and when I'm done with the paper shredding, I get to move on to sorting books! WOOHOO!!!

I'm an organized person. How in the world did this happen?!?!

What became of those lazy days lying in the sun at the lake?

YIPPEE!!!!!!!

2009-06-19T15:44:00.001-07:00

I'm All Done!

School's Closed For Summer

Today's the Day

2009-06-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL THAT IS!!!!!

Did you hear the big cheers coming from DD as she finished up her last History assigment? She's done with school for two months.

Me??? As a teacher, I still have one day of school left to take care of report cards, attendance, and all of those loose ends. Then, I'm off until August 17th. Love having the time off! Not so fond of NOT having a paycheck for TWO MONTHS!!! Good thing DD likes beans and I like rice!

What Will We Do Next?????

2009-06-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

In the hopes of someday being able to wear one of these in public again (well maybe a one-piece anyway...), DD and I have been working out with some of the shows on Fit TV. And, today we did.......drumroll please.......

BELLY DANCING

Now, don't laugh. OK, you can laugh because we sure did. Our version of belly dancing probably looked more like a couple of Tootsie Rolls melting in the sun than any kind of belly dancing you've ever seen, but it was fun AND it was a good work out AND most importantly it was done in the privacy of our own home so nobody was harmed or scarred for life by watching us.

You Can Make This!

2009-06-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

This is a duplicate post from my crafting blog "Oh It's Sew Cute". I usually wouldn't do the exact same posting on both blogs, but I LOVE THIS SITE! I visit it at least once a day (I think it's a sickness, really.....)

******

One of my absolute FAVORITE websites is YouCanMakeThis.com .

This site is chockful of patterns and instructions to make everything imaginable. They have sections for applique, cooking and baking, crafts, crochet and knitting, digital scrapbooking, tons of sewing items, embroidery, quilting, papercrafts, clay, and on and on.

From the "About Us" section of the website: "YouCanMakeThis.com was created by a stay-at-home mom who wanted to provide a place where women could learn how to make items for their homes and families. The site is unique because the eBooks and patterns are written by "everyday" women. The step-by-step format of the eBooks enables even the most craft-challenged person to experience the satisfaction of creating something beautiful.

YouCanMakeThis.com provides easy to follow how-to eBooks on a variety of projects. The eBooks feature detailed ste-by-step instrctions and photos that walk you through the creative process."

I LOVE that this site is written by and for "REAL" "EVERYDAY" people just like me!

They are adding new things all the time. There are blogs and free newsletters with loads of wonderful ideas to get your creativity flowing. And, PICTURES galore!

All of the patterns come to you via the web so you can start to work on your project as quickly as you download the instructions and/or pattern. No driving to the store! The patterns are fabulous and EASY to follow, even for beginners.

One of my favorite features of the site is the "I Made This" tab where others display pictures of what they have created using the patterns from this site. It is so fun to go in there to see what everyone has been up to and get some creative inspiration.

If you sign up for their fabulous FREE You Can Make This e-newsletter, you will get a FREE video and e-book bundle (valued at $75.) Just click on this box to take you there and sign up for your FREE goodies.

Did I mention it's FREE?!?!

This purse was made using one of the FREE e-books that I received when I signed up to receive the YCMT newsletter:

So Cute! So Easy! So Fun!

I just cannot say enough good things about this site! You just have to go and check it out for yourself!!!

DD's 8th Grade Graduation

2009-06-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

DD graduated from 8th grade yesterday. Our charter school/homeschool program held a ceremony for all of the 8th grade graduates in our region. There were about 30 other students along with her. It was a short and sweet ceremony with a couple of the 8th graders speaking, the Head of Schools giving a brief speech and the presentation of the gratuates. All in all it lasted about 35 - 40 minutes.

I just finished looking through the pictures and realized that I don't have any of Grandmother, Grandpa or Dear Aunt, but they were there REALLY they were. Unlike DD's father, who was a no-show. What a piece of work! Seems he hit a deer and messed up the car. That resulted in him being too busy dealing with that to attend his only child's graduation (even though he has another car). URGH! It was probably a much more pleasant time for everyone with his absence, but it's the principle of the thing.

On a more pleasant note......Here are some of the better pictures of the event:

The graduate being a goofball

DD getting her "fake" diploma (I have her "real" one)

Mom and graduate (Yes, DD is taller than Mom now by 3 inches)

DS and DD

And, finally, DS holding Mom's purse while she was posing for pictures with her other students

After graduation, Dear Aunt treated us to a celebration dinner at DD's favorite place, Sweet Tomatoes. YUMMY!

The Library Shelf - Help Yourself

2009-06-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

I have stacks upon stacks of books just waiting to be read. So what did I do yesterday but go to the library book sale for the $3 a bag sale and get ANOTHER bag of books. Gotta love those books!

Up next in the just finished section of the Library Shelf is "Help Yourself" by Dave Pelzer. This isn't one that I got at yesterday's book sale, but one that I've been reading for the past week or so.

From the back of the book: "In Help Yourself, Dave Pelzer explains how we can move beyond a painful history, harmful negative thoughts, and innumerable setbacks by taking control and being accountable for our lives."

This is not necessarily a book for those who have been hurt in the past, but for everyone because we all are bombarded every day with negativity from the world around us.

In Part One (Get Rid of the Garbage in Your Life), he stresses the importance of solving an issue before it explodes. "Even the "best of friends", the "perfect parents", the "perfect marriage", if there were two people stranded on a deserted island they would eventually get on each others' nerves. As long as there is more than one person in the world, there will always be trouble in paradise."

He takes snippets from his own personal history as well as those of others such as Oprah Winfrey and Colin Powell who didn't let their meager backgrounds hold them back from going for their dreams. He ends with this, "If you carry a bad attitude, you have no chance of being happy, let alone living up to your full potential and achieving your greatness."

This author is something else. How he could go through everything that life threw at him as a child, turn it all around and wind up guiding others to find the hope and happiness in their lives is just simply miraculous. The horrific abuse that he suffered at the hands of his mother is chronicled in the books "A Child Called "It" and "The Lost Boy". Simply amazing that he came to be a man full of inspiration and gratitude. He DEFINITELY doesn't believe in feeling sorry for himself.

I'll sum it up with these two sayings from my own personal arsenal of words of wisdom:

It's all in the attitude!
Attitude = Amplitude

Where Have I Been?

2009-06-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't fall off the face of earth. No, I didn't get abducted by aliens. No, I'm not in the hospital. It's the end of the school year and I've been WORKING, WORKING, WORKING! The first four weeks and the last four weeks of the school year are BUSY TIMES. Oh, I'm not complaining. I know how lucky I am to be one of those teachers in California that still has a job. Plus, I'd much rather be busy than bored. Our last official day of school is June 18th, and my last work day will be the 19th. Then, I'll have so much time I won't know what to do. Just kidding....I'll be crafting and reading all summer long. And, tending to that darn money tree that has yet to bloom.

DD will be graduating from 8th grade next Monday. Then, it's off to high school. Actually, she won't be OFF anywhere. She's still going to be homeschooled. She just won't be an elementary school student any more so she won't be in my "official" class as I am only certified up to 8th grade. I'll still be her teacher though as all homeschool parents are their child's teacher, but she will have to answer to another teacher in addition to me for high school. Confusing enough for ya?

Here's a good one: DD absolutely LOVES playing with the Community Band. She LIVES for Monday nights when they practice. Now, her graduation ceremony is scheduled for Monday night. She asks me at least once a day if she can just skip graduation so that she won't have to miss band. OI! I'm all for enthusiastically pursuing your dreams and passions, but I'm drawing the line on this one and I say, "NO!" Band happens every week. Graduation is once in a lifetime!

I am the "official, certified" teacher for eight of the 40 8th graders who will be graduating on Monday night. I wanted to give them all a little something, but what can you do when you have no extra cash. Well, since I'm the queen of turning nothing into something right out of thin air....here's what I came up with:

At Dollar Tree, they had a package of 12 of these cute little handled boxes. They were plain white so I got out my trusty stamps and stamped a confetti pattern all over them with blue ink (our school color). Then, I designed a little tag on my computer that reads, "Reach for the Stars! Congratulations" That is tied to one of the handles with some skinny blue satin ribbon. Next, I cut blue tissue paper into squares. I put little bags of M&M's in the center of two tissue paper squares and tucked them inside the handled boxes. There you have it. Graduation favors for all 8 of my students. Total cost...$2!

Updates

2009-05-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

A few updates.......

After two consecutive evenings of spraying the bejeerbers out of the "nesting" spot of the flying, stinging creatures, I have found several of them belly-up on the outside table. However, the majority of them have moved over to somewhere near the stairs. Great! So now rather than the real possibility of getting stung every time we walk out the door, we risk getting stung as we go down the stairs and then falling the rest of the way down because we got stung. I can just see it now, and of course, if someone's falling, I'm laughing. (It's a sickness, you know.)

I finally got brave enough to venture into the garage late this afternoon. It was only because one of my students needs some help with a vocabulary lesson. I can't help without the book, and wouldn't you know it, all of the books are downstairs in the garage. Lucky me! So, I carefully opened the door and looked around. Then, I even more carefully opened the door to the storage shelves. And, gingerly opened the box that was supposed to have the 7th grade vocabulary book in it. Crud! It's not there. I never did find it so I put on my "brave suit" for nothing. Oh, and now that I think about it, I forgot to put on my tennis shoes too. I went in there in my darn sandals. One of my little snake friends could have bit my cute little toes. By the way, while I didn't find the book I was looking for, I didn't find any snakes either. And that's A GOOD THING!

The real reason for this update post is to get the picture of the snake further down on the page of this blog. Every time I open my blog, I get freaked out all over again because of that darn photograph of the baby snake. So, here's a picture that is a little more pleasant....

On another note, God works in mysterious ways that are sometimes very hard for us humans to understand......That's all I'm going to say about that for now.

Mother's Day Gifts

2009-05-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

I received a couple of Mother's Day gifts that I don't recall putting on my official "Wish List". The first was a swarm of these lovely flying, stingying creatures right outside the front door.

After looking at pictures on the web, I think they're wasps. And, lucky me, I received about 50 of them.

Oh, another gift for me?!?! What is that rope-like, bungy cord thing coming out from under the garage door?

A BABY RATTLESNAKE!
And, you know where there's a baby, there's a mama. And, snakes usually don't have just one baby. And, it was coming out from under my garage door so now I'm terrifed that mama's had her babies in my garage. I'm not going in there until WINTER! (Lucky for me, my neighbor came over with a gardening hoe and killed that ugly rascal.)

Ahhhhh! Now this is more like it. This is a gift that I can relate to. DD made homemade waffles for breakfast.

I could have done without the other two gifts though!

The Library Shelf - I Closed My Eyes

2009-05-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

The latest book on my library shelf was "I Closed My Eyes" by Michele Weldon. It is subtitled "Revelations of a Battered Woman". Some may ask, "Why would you want to read a book like that? Or, doesn't it scare you to read that kind of book?" Well, No, it doesn't scare me. It's research for me. It's an education. It's learning from other people's accounts of experiences.

This book is unlike others on this subject because it is the firsthand memories of someone who actually LIVED in a household with an abusive husband rather than the clinicians that usually write about what you SHOULD do and what you PROBABLY are feeling. This woman has been there. It's not light reading, but a very good and realistic look at how it REALLY feels to be in this situation, why she stayed, and how she did eventually leave with her three boys and start a new life. Recommended reading for those who are interested in this subject for whatever reasons you may have.

A New Blog

2009-05-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a new blog for everything "cute" in honor of our Etsy shop "Oh It's Sew Cute." I hope to include what I'm working on creatively, crafting tips and ideas, and well, whatever I think of or run across that is "cute". That blog will be at www.ohitssewcute.blogspot.com. I will still have this personal blog at www.carolscorner1234.blogspot.com for all things personal so my family and friends can check in to see what we're up to and my various ramblings about life.

Oh, It's Sew Cute!

2009-04-26T15:41:00.001-07:00

In addition to my regular crazy life, I've been busy sewing. Creating is what keeps me sane (although my sanity is sometimes questionable :) )

Sir Bearded Kitty, DD's precious cat, got ahold of my purse so I needed a new one. Look what I made:

Oh, It's Sew Cute!!!! (Yes, I know that's not the correct "sew". It's a play on words for our Etsy shop.) I got the pattern from one of my all-time favorite websites, youcanmakethis.com. LOVE that site!

I also made these placemats. They have a built in pocket to put your silverware in:

And, I did some embroidery:

All of my latest creations are now available in our etsy shop at http://ohitssewcute.etsy.com . Well, everything except for the purse - that's ALL MINE!

Word Play

2009-04-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

The English language is full of words that just really don't make sense. Have you ever thought about these?

1. There is no ham in a hamburger.
2. There is no straw in strawberry.
3. There is neither egg in eggplant or apple in pineapple.
4. A Guinea pig is not a pig.
5. Fireflies aren't flies. They are beetles.
6. Greyhounds can be any color.
7. Rush hour lasts longer than an hour - and so does happy hour.
8. Hot dogs can be cold, and homework can be done in school.
9. If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
10. Button and unbutton are opposites, but loosen and unloosen are the same.
11. DS - This one is for you!:
One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, two meese?
12. Boxing rings are square.
13. And, something I've pondered for quite some time: Why do we park on a driveway and drive on a Parkway?

OK, some of these words might not have originated here, but you get what I mean, right? Can you think of any more?

GRAND OPENING!

2009-04-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

Our Etsy shop is now officially open. We our offering our handcrafted items for sale through our shop, "Oh, It's Sew Cute!" at http://ohitssewcute.etsy.com .

What's with the shop name? DD is always saying "It's so cute!" Well, since we both like to sew, we did the play on words and changed 'so' to 'sew'. And, that's how the name came to be.

DD and I will both have things listed in our shop. DD has her own section titled, "Dear Daughter" for all of her handmade creations. She has a few items listed already.

My designs will be in the shop within a few days.

Stop by and find something that will have you exclaiming, "Oh, It's Sew Cute!"

Paw Prints - A T-Shirt Blouse

2009-04-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

Before we moved, DD picked out this fabric. Those "spots" are actually tiny little pawprints in pink, light tan, black, sky blue and sage green.

Yesterday, I gathered that fabric, one of DD's old bright pink t-shirts that had little holes near the hem and my trusty sewing machine. And, look what I made:

It's a babydoll-style blouse! I used the same pattern that I had for her band recital dress, shortened the skirt to blouse length and left off the bottom ruffle. Not too bad for about an hour of work, a piece of fabric and an old, holey t-shirt, huh?

Trash To Treasure: Easter Basket

2009-04-13T16:58:00.000-07:00

I've turned another piece of trash into treasure.

A few weeks ago when we were driving through a parking lot, we heard a horrible sound coming from under the car. My thought....Oh Great! Just what I need, car trouble. It was very minor. I had ran into a little plastic bucket. You know those empty ice-cream type buckets. I didn't damage the car or the bucket. I told DD to throw it in the car having no idea what I would do with it.

Well, VIOLA.....I used some fabric left over from a pillow I made for DD's room and attached that to the bucket with spray adhesive. Then, I painted the top rim. (I should have painted the rim BEFORE attaching the fabric, but oh well....) I tore some strips of fabrics that coordinate with DD's room and tied them onto the handle. Looky here. Isn't it cute? And, all from a little bucket that I ran over. Truly Trash to Treasure....

The Library Shelf

2009-04-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

WHAT? Two posts in one day? I'm bored........ Not really. I don't get bored. I'm just taking a break from cleaning and working (yes, on the weekend). AND, I haven't posted here since last month and that's just not right.

I finished reading "Amazing Grace" by Danielle Steel last night. It's written in typical Danielle Steel fashion. (I never noticed before that she ends a lot of sentences with prepositions, and she has several misplaced modifiers. Hmmmmm....she'd better speak to her proofreader about that. - Can you tell that DD and I have been working on Grammar lately?)

Anyway, this is the story about what happens in the lives of 4 people who were at the same benefit concert during an earthquake. They all now share the unique bond of those who go through a catastrophic event together. It follows each of them through the year that follows the quake, through their triumphs and struggles.

A nice, easy read.

The Grand Performance

2009-04-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.
That's how DD's 1st concert performing with the Community Band was last Sunday afternoon. Fabulous!

It was held in the theater at the local high school. They played everything from Beethoven to Glenn Miller. And, they were GOOD!!!!! It was like going to the philharmonic or the symphony (only without the string section). They even got standing ovations. It's a long way from Mary Had A Little Lamb that was played at the Elementary and Middle School band concert held last year. That's For Sure!

And, at intermission, there was all sorts of goodies (cookies, brownies, etc.). YUMMY!

Now, the band is taking a 3 week break from rehearsals, and DD is beyond SAD. She had to turn in her music after the concert. She has been going through the music that she has here, and she says it's all WAY TOO EASY. She is counting the days until she gets to go to band again and get the new songs that they will be playing for the summer concert in June.

The Library Shelf

2009-03-18T19:04:00.001-07:00

I just finished reading "Mother Warriors" by Jenny McCarthy. (What? You're in the middle of moving and you've got time to read? Hey....I've ALWAYS got time to read.)

Anyway......From the front jacket cover, "When Jenny McCarthy's son was diagnosed with autism, she refused to give in without a fight." This book tells a bit about her journey to help save her son and "how she ultimately healed him through an intense combination of behavioral therapy, diet, supplements, and other biomedical interventions."

The book also shares the stories of several other parents who navigated through many therapies and roadblocks to heal their children.

The stories that are shared indicate that these children all became autistic after receiving well-child vaccines (most from MMR and Chicken Pox). I had no idea! It seems that babies/toddlers which are given vaccines when they are already sick, have weak immune systems or other factors that their little bodies can't fight the live viruses that are in the vaccines, many times become autistic. These parents (and doctors) are saying that vaccines CAN trigger autism. It could be preventable if babies and children were tested BEFORE they were given their shots. WOW!

So, this book brings to light two things: Autism might very well be preventable (in a lot of cases) AND many children can be healed from autism instead of left as having "no hope at a normal life". Very interesting read as there seems to be an epidemic of autism diagnoses among this country's young people.

It is a very inspiring book and shows just what determination can accomplish when the whole world is telling you "it can't be done".

On the moving front.....DD and I packed up the last load, swept out the garage and drove down the gravel driveway for the last time today at noon. We're finished! (On that end anyway). We went for shakes at Jack in the Box to celebrate!

Hanging Mini Blinds

2009-03-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

That's exactly how I felt when DD and I were hanging mini blinds this morning!

You see, there is this 72" window in the bedroom of the old house that had broken mini-blinds that needed to be replaced so that I can get my full deposit back. I didn't want the landlady charging me $100 when I knew that I could get them for less than $25 and do it myself. Well, I thought I could do it myself. Why not? How hard could it be?

DD and I took off the old blinds. Took off the old brackets because wouldn't you know it they were a different size than the new ones. So, we put up the new brackets. Dropped the little screws I think about 8 times! Go up and down the stepladder to retrieve the screws. Try to put up the new mini-blinds. Try to open the new mini-blinds. Crash! Down they came. Try again, and again, and again. OK, when all else fails, let's read the directions. Hey, I always read the directions, but I tried to win it this time. WRONG MOVE! Read the directions. Moved the brackets to where they were SUPPOSED to be hung. Snapped the new mini-blinds in place and VOILA! They actually look like a professional did the job.

OK......now onto the vertical blinds in the dining room.......Actually, after the bedroom mini-blinds, the vertical blinds were a piece of cake except that they were 104" long! And, I'm only 5 foot nothing!

Oh, and we took out the trusty glue gun and glued a knob back on the closet door. Secret weapon that glue gun of mine! Shhhh.....don't tell the landlady.

So, yes, we are still moving. It takes a LONG time when you move all the boxes in a Chevy Malibu trunk. I think we have two more loads and then we'll be done. And, it's a good thing because DD's teenage attitude is beginning to show.

P.S. Because I know that at least one person that is related to me is going to ask if that is Bently....No, it's not.....I don't know whose cat that is. I "borrowed" the picture from Google Images. (It's not our window either.)

Oh What Fun!

2009-03-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

Wanna help?

We've been moving. We didn't ACTUALLY move the house, but it sure did feel like it last Saturday as DS and I carried furniture up the stairs to our new home.

We're still moving boxes from the old house and still need to finish cleaning there too. Hopefully, we'll be all done by this time next week so we can start concentrating on setting up our new nest.

Don't forget to watch Extreme Makeover Home Edition this Sunday to see the episode that we saw being taped.

A New Dress

2009-02-14T16:21:00.001-08:00

What are two girls supposed to do on a cold Valentine's Day? Sew a new dress of course. DD and I spent the afternoon making a dress for her to wear to her upcoming band concert next month. We took a T-shirt with some smocking on the front bodice that she already had. We bought some print fabric a couple weeks ago - it has little music notes and instruments all over it - CUTE! She normally wouldn't pick black and white because she hates black, but for band concerts everyone must wear black and white so she had no choice in the matter.

Then, using a pattern from youcanmakethis.com (LOVE that site!), we put this dress together lickety split. (I have no idea why she has that strange look on her face like her lips are superglued together. Or, why the dress is looking sorta potato sackish. It's probably the way she is standing. I guess we need some modeling practice. The dress really is cute in person.)

Here's the fabric up close:

Now, we have to get some new shoes!

It's Snowing! It's Snowing!

2009-02-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

Well, it's actually stopped snowing now. But it was snowing all morning. We got about 3 or 4 inches of the white, fluffy stuff. Not much for some people, but for here - that's alot. DD has been out sledding with a trashcan lid for hours. She's thrilled!

Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T12:58:00.000-08:00

The picture above symbolizes what today is really about. It says so much without even saying a word.

President Barack Obama rests his hand on President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible as his wife Michelle Obama holds it as he takes the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Edited on Jan. 24, 2009.....OK, call me warped, and I guess you can call DD warped as well because she's the one who pointed it out to me, but doesn't it look like an alien is holding that Bible? I know it was cold out there and everything, but I think she should NOT have worn those green gloves.

Move That Bus!!!!!!!

2009-01-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

We DID make it back to the site of Extreme Home Makeover. Thursday we took the afternoon off and went to see them "Move That Bus".

We rode the bus again from the Convention Center to the homesite. The bus was packed! But, everyone was happy and smiling. Even the lady who's cut in half in this picture who lived by the worksite, but they wouldn't let her walk in. She had to drive to the Convention Center and come back on the bus to see everything.

Before we even got off the bus, we could see the crowd. There were so many people there. I even saw one of my students there. Oops! Teacher got caught playing hooky.

We were in the front row, but not right in front of the house this time. We were about 3 houses down the street. We weren't able to see the close up stuff at the house, but at least we were there and got to experience the whole thing. We'll see the up close stuff on TV anyway.

DD and I made a sign to hold up (hoping that would get us on camera). I chose the flourescent yellow color because I thought it would be the most "eye-catching". Here is DD holding the sign and showing both sides (wish I could "move that porta-potty", but it is what it is).

Being that there is a TV show being filmed during this whole process, things get done a little out of order. The crowd shots for the family coming home in the limo and "Move that Bus" are shot a couple hours before the family even arrives. Here is the empty limo (although we didn't know that at the time):

There was a LOT of standing around. The crowd went wild every time there was a hint that the family was coming or that Ty was spotted on the scene. Here he is going over his lines:

and with Didiayer:

The family was scheduled to arrive between 2 - 3, but actually drove down the street at 4:00 p.m. We all cheered and shouted and waved our signs. It was LOUD! As soon as the limo passed us, the crowd moved right in and followed it towards the house. DD and I were behind a little baracade and couldn't join in on that.

There are several times that we MAY show up on the TV show (crowd shots of the limo coming down the street and move that bus, and then when Ty runs past giving high fives to the crowd). Yes, we did get a high five. Well, I got more of a sideways one (He hit my finger) and he missed DD's hand completely.

And, finally, here is the family as they unlock the door to their new house:

Hey, you know the bus>

Yeh, that one. Well, on Monday afternoon, DD and I saw that very bus parked in the downtown metropolis of our tiny little town. It was parked in front of the thrift store and across the street from the one and only market. Wonder if our podunk village is going to be on national TV?

Well, you know where we'll be at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 8th. Watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition! Check it out!

Wow! It IS Extreme!

2009-01-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

There were over 4,000 people volunteer for the Extreme Home Makeover build, but we weren't picked to help out. Oh well. The family chosen to receive the makeover live in Fresno so at least it's close enough for us to go watch. MaryAnne, the mom, was born without legs and only one functioning arm. She is the single mother of four teenage children. She has worked very hard to support them on her own and buy her own house, but the house is not setup for a person in a wheelchair and she's always getting hurt in her own home. The family is on vacation in Colorado this week while their "dream home" is being built back here.
I went to the worksite this morning. WOW! It IS Extreme! The timing and teamwork and cooperation that goes into the building of a house in such a short time is truly amazing.

Everyone parked at the convention center and rode the bus onto the site. The crew has several whole city blocks filled with trucks, trailers, motorhomes and equipment. We arrived at about 8:40 in the morning and it was cold and foggy. They ran into a problem last night so the pouring of the concrete was delayed until this morning. When I got there, they were putting the finishing touches on the concrete. They added something to the mix to make it dry VERY fast. Within an hour, they were ready for the walls.

Michael Moloney, one of the designers, shot a scene explaining the situation. "Here we are on the morning of Day 3 and we're a little bit behind schedule. When we were digging the foundation, we ran into a TON of mud and water. But, early this morning we brought in this material that is made out of sand and ground concrete which is keeping with our green theme and that took care of the problem. If there's one thing we have learned from MaryAnne, it's that nothing can keep us down." That and several variations are what he said over and over and over again as the camera crew filmed. They must have done at least 10 takes, probably more. And, he was freezing. He had several bloopers which were pretty funny and got everyone laughing. He really played to the crowd.

When he was done shooting his scene, he came over to talk to some of the spectators and sign autographs. And, yes, his teeth are really that white in person. And, he's thinner in real life and FULL of energy and personality.

I was right in the front row as the cameraman went by so you very well may see me on the show (if I don't get cut). I'm right in the front row in front of the house wearing a red baseball cap, a red turtleneck and a dark grey wool coat. Look for me! Look how stinkin' close I am to the action!

Next up, Designer Didiayer Snyder......

And the arrival of the walls....

It was quite something to see these walls come off the truck. They just unhooked the yellow straps, the truck beds slid together, the front tilted up and the framed walls were dumped off the back with a big thud and a cloud of dust.

The framing crew was ready to go, and Didiayer was right in there with them holding up the framework, climbing a ladder and shooting her scene.

Next on the agenda was the arrival of sheeting from one of the local lumber yards and a bit of humor was in store. The driver of the forklift-thingy got himself stuck in the dirt and had to have someone with another forklift-thingy come pull him out. It was quite suspenseful waiting to see if he would loose his load or tip the whole thing over. When he was in the clear, we all gave a big cheer.

After hours of waiting for Ty Pennington, yes by then it had been hours....Remember, I arrived at about 8:40 in the morning and it was now 11:45....the boy next to me spotted him coming down the street. He was dressed in a black and white flannel shirt which made him stand out from the rest of the blue Extreme Home Makeover shirts. Quite to the disappointment of all the onlookers, he did not come over to the crowd, but he did wave and smile several times. He was moving in and out of the framing of the house and climbing on the beam that will be at the top of the garage door shooting a scene. He wasn't quite as hyper as I had thought he would be, but then again he did go up and down that ladder quite a few times and he was moving around pretty darn fast.

And, then......he was gone. He walked back down the street and vanished from sight.

Time for more walls to arrive and another round with the lumber company and the fork-lift thingy driver. He decided that he was going to take some beams off the back of the truck right in front of us and lift them over our heads. That's when I said, "Outta here." Cuz' I'd seen just how good he wasn't at manuveuring that equipment and didn't want to get squished.

All in all, a FUN morning and a GREAT memory. Hope to make it back again before they finish filming to share the experience with DD. And, we can't wait to see the show when it airs in March.

EDITED: I was on the news! Yep, there was a closeup of me wearing my red baseball cap with my hair in a ponytail in all my glory smiling at the camera on the news.

And, this picture is on the Fresno Bee's website. See if you can spot me in my red hat.....

Happy New Year 2009 (A few days late)

2009-01-04T11:51:00.000-08:00

I know, I know....It's already 4 days into the new year and I titled the post Happy New Year. I've been busy......PLAYING.

Our family has the need to extend Christmas for as long as possible due to location, step-families, in-laws, etc. So, we've had several celebrations throughout the past week.

Boy does the tree look wimpy. It really does look better in person and at night with the lights on - I promise!

CHRISTMAS DAY - Off to pick DD up from her dad's to bring her home. She opened her gifts and checked out her stocking and then the gang arrived for the party. The gang being: Grandmother, Grandpa, DS and Girlfriend. We had a pasta bar meal (spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce, tortellini with alfredo sauce, garlic bread, green beans with turkey bacon, pies, and lemon cake). YUM! But, DS just lost 30 pounds and says that "carbs are evil" so he and girlfriend didn't eat as much as the rest of us.

He's also for some reason decided that cameras are "evil" too.

Then, it was on to opening presents...

Me (Oh Wow! I need some color in my face. I look like a ghost.)

DD and the cat who decided he needed in on the action.

DS and Girlfriend (DD and I made that chef's hat for him.)

Grandpa - No, we didn't MAKE him sit on the floor. He wanted to.

Mother/Grandmother - Snuggled up on the couch.

Oh, forgot to mention that it SNOWED!!!!!!!! It SNOWED!!!!!! It SNOWED!!!!!! On Christmas Day, it SNOWED!!!!!!! DD and I were so excited that we danced in the kitchen!

Since I'm just starting this blogging thing and this very simple post has taken me WAY LONGER than it should have to create, I will continue with the rest of the celebrating later...........(To Be Continued)

EDITED on April 13th......Well, now that Valetine's Day and Easter have both come and gone and I have yet to "continue" sharing our Christmas celebrating, I think I'm going to skip it this time. You lucked out!

Extreme Home Makeover is Coming to Town!

2008-12-31T11:59:00.001-08:00

Well, not OUR town exactly, but somewhere in the Central San Joaquin Valley. We're so excited! (Wish it were us........)

They will announce the family and location on January 8th and send the family away in a limo to vacation.

Even though we don't know where the house is going to be built, we volunteered to work on it. They are supposed to be getting back to us if we're chosen or not. Wouldn't it be a hoot to work along side that hyper Ty Pennington? Even if we aren't picked to work on the project, we still think it would be a lot of fun to go watch. Spectators are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to come by the worksite.

And, YES, they really do build the house in only 7 DAYS! The schedule we have shows them knocking on the family's door on the morning of January 8th and saying "MOVE THAT BUS!" between 2 - 3 p.m. on January 15th. WOW!

If you want to check it out, there will be updates at: http://www.extremedeyoung.com/index.php

Marley and Me *** SPOILER (If you don't want to know the ending, DON'T READ THIS)

2008-12-30T09:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, DD treated me to see the movie, Marley & Me. OMG! We laughed, we cried. It was fabulous.

The dog is unbelievably funny and CUTE! Oh, the things that Marley gets into.

I knew how the movie was going to end, but even so I was not fully prepared for it. You definitely need to take tissues with you. Everyone in the place was crying (boys, girls, old men and women, little kids, even teenagers).

Let me tell you, usually while I'm supposed to be watching a movie at the theater I look at my watch 3 or 4 or 15 times, change positions in my seat this way and that and then back again, and then I fall asleep. But, not this time. I did not look at my watch, nope, not one time. I did not squirm in my chair. And, I most definitely DID NOT fall asleep.

On the way home, DD said, "It was definitely worth spending my $12.00. That might be my favorite movie ever."

Let the Games (Fun) Begin

2008-12-29T11:15:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting around to putting this blog together. One place for all of my ideas, projects, thoughts, and dreams. Won't that be nice!?!? Maybe, maybe not. It could turn out to be a lot of work, and I may be the only one who ever reads any of this.

But, I'm thinking it will be kind of neat to look back on previous posts to see what was going on a day ago, or a month ago, or a year ago. I've always wanted to keep a journal, but never did it for more than a day or two. And, with this I can add PICTURES!

Here we go......let the games begin!