An Optical Illusion?

This is a very weird post.  Last fall I got rid of this fake tree that was in our hallway going into the family/kitchen room.  It always seemed to be in the way, the babies loved to play in the fake grass, and it was pretty ugly looking.  I thought that by putting it out by the garbage on the side of the house it would get hauled away by the disposal guys.  I have seen it from time to time, as I tossed out kitchen garbage, and I guess I always hoped someone would take it.  Today, as I emptied the kitchen garbage, I had to walk by the tree as usual.  For some reason this tree looked like it had been growing, and getting greener (it's been raining a lot, so that may have something to do with it). I don't know, what do you think?

It Wasn't the Milk Duds

I've had a case of laryingitis for a couple of days, and it sort of came to a head last night at our high school basketball game.  Yelling at the ref just doesn't do much for the throat.  There are some of you out there that are silently cheering, I'm sure, that I can't talk, or at least can't be heard.  Needless to say, it hit me really hard this morning.  I woke up way before my alarm, and felt like a Mack truck had hit me.  My head was pounding and I thought I had a huge, nasty ball down my throat.  I felt like crap.  I decided to drink some Chamomile tea with honey to see it that would help.  It helped somewhat, but I was getting that feeling I needed to get to school and write up some sub plans.  I finished writing my plans, called for the sub, then headed for the doctor's office.  It really felt like the beginning stages of strep throat, but the rapid strep test came back negative.  The doctor decided to give me an antibiotic, so I filled it and went home to bed.  I still can't talk...no comments... so I think I'll need to stay home tomorrow.  Those reading this blog who know me, may see a bit of humor in my lack of voice, but my students will fall off their chairs.
Back to my Milk Duds reference in the title.  Maybe it wasn't the candy at the movie last Saturday after all, that hurt my stomach.  Maybe it was just nature warning me I was in for a bit of the hydrophobia-pish-pash (a phrase from my mother, for anything that takes you down for a few days).

An Apple a Day...

I couldn't decide on what to eat for breakfast this morning, so I settled on an apple.  That sounds good, right?  It was actually a very good apple, as I watched Fox News and read the morning paper before heading off to school.  As I approached school, I realize I had a faculty/department meeting this morning, so I decided to treat my English department to my very favorite...maple bars.  I know, I know, not a very good breakfast, but I received a couple of ooh's and ahh's along with a glare or two.  Our department head (who happens to be on a diet) was especially appreciative.  I just have find a way to to beat this sweet habit of mine.  I'm weak, very weak, so when I got home today, I walked for 50 minutes.  Just about the distance of the Bloomington loop.  It felt good, and I guess if my body can stand the sugar in the a.m., and the exercise in the p.m., it's all good!

No More Candy!

I'm only making this bold statement because my tummy hurts.  As I mentioned in my previous blog, we went to the movie yesterday, but what I neglected to tell you was what I ate while sitting for two hours.  Santa brought me two large boxes of Milk Duds, and I've been waiting for the opportunity to eat some of them.  I don't really need to have a set time and place, but I thought it would be better to bring them to the movies, rather than sit around on my behind at home and eat them.  This makes perfect sense to me, and I'm pretty proud of myself for not breaking into either box of Milk Duds until now.  Anyway, I ate the whole darn box.  Bill noticed I was eating something besides his popcorn, and asked for one (Bill's the one cookie guy).  It was dark and I suppose he didn't see my loot, nor did he notice me gulping them down.  By the end of the movie, I had eaten the whole box, with the exception of the one or two I gave Bill.  Now my stomach hurts, and I think I know why.

Don't be late!

We went to a movie this afternoon, so we could be home in time for the BYU/San Diego State Men's Basketball game, and all in all the movie was pretty good.  I'm a Harrison Ford fan so waiting for "Extarodinary Measures" was worth it, or so I thought.  We enjoyed the movie, but the main reason I'm blogging about this event is not the movie, it's what came before it started, right before.  I'm the type of movie goer that always wants to arrive at the theatre early, so we can get a good seat (and of course, get our snacks).  Sometimes I get us there a bit too early, but it's tolerable, if you don't mind watching the local commercials on that endless loop.  I really know more than I want to about garage floor sealants, painless dentists, pool installers, and those movie quizzes that nobody knows the answers to.  Today I was even reminded (endlessly) about the "highest U.S. Army wartime medal," and if you want to know what it is, you'll have to stay tuned.  Back to the movie.  Getting there early, as I said before, is a priority for me, so off we went to the Pine View Cinemas to buy our tickets, load up on snacks, and pick out our seat.  We found that the best seat in the theatre is the top row, where you have extra leg room.  It's really roomy, and you don't have anyone behind you constantly bumping your chair.  This particular theatre decided to save on their electric bill, or whatever, so there was no lighting halfway up the stairs.  For that matter, there wasn't much lighting at all.  I'm not kidding, I could not see my hand in front of my face as we struggled up the steps.  I had to use my cell phone for what little light that provided.  We finally made it up to our seats and awaited our movie.  The movie was to start at 2:05 and at approximately 2:00, up the steps stumbles a lady, and inquires about the seats on the other side of us.  Seriously, you could not see a thing.  We assured her that there were 3 or 4 to my right, so she wedges through the seats, guided by my cell phone light.  She told me she was waiting for her friend who was a bit late (late? She was late!)  Anyway, up the steps stumbled her friend, just before the theatre turned down the rest of the "lights" and she barely made it to her seat, loaded with her cell phone/light and snacks.  I thought that would be it, but here comes my big pet peeve: more people wandered into the theatre, casually looking for a primo seat.  WHAT?  It was now 2:05, and these people expected to find any seat in a dark, three-quarters full theatre.  I don't get it (quoting Erin and Mariah)...why would you go to the movies, especially on opening weekend, and expect to find a seat.  I'm thinking that some of these air heads actually think they will be escorted to a seat, vacated by a sympathetic (and might I add, on time) patron.  It really annoys me.  Get there early, at least while there is still a bit of light, and casual conversation going on.  Now I feel better.

1 Stinking Point...Again

Bill and I have a very cheap date on Friday nights (during high school basketball season), and it's just about putting me over the edge.  My high school, at least the one I teach at, has lost the last three games by a total of 4 points.  Last Friday we lost to Dixie by one basket (two points), Wednesday night we lost to Cedar City by one point, and tonight, we lost by that ever elusive 1 point! Grrrrrr!  I am beginning to act like Steve Green (and only a select few know what I'm talking about).  Bill's really into it too, and I have a feeling that one of these nights,  those poor referees may need a police escort from the game. 

A Good Cry

Instead of grading papers tonight, I decided to watch a movie.  I know I'll regret it tomorrow, but what the heck, I want to feel like a kid again, and my students (kids), always seem to put off doing their assignments.  Now just wait until they ask for their quizzes back...  "Nopee, but I sure enjoyed that movie."  Getting back to the movie, if you're a guy, and reading my blog, it was a chick flick, so you might as well stop reading right now.  It was "P.S. I Love You."  How chick flicky can you get with a title like that?  I told Mandy to pick out a movie, and Bill was in Hurricane teaching his DSC class, so we only had to please ourselves.  The tears started flowing halfway through the movie, boy do I love a good old fashioned cry :)  The only thing that disapointed me was Harry Connick Jr.; he was strange in this movie.  Thank goodness he wasn't the leading man.   I would recommend the movie except for a couple of parts.
I want to see a new movie that's coming out this weekend, called "Extraordinary Measures."  It has Harrison Ford in it, and most movies with Harrison Ford should be a winner.  If anyone sees it let me know if you recommend it.

Same house, waaaay different eating habits

I want to dedicate this blog entry to all of you out there that have absolutely no problem with all types of food.   I also want to apologize to Mandy for making those cookies last Saturday.  I know we live in the same house, and we do talk and see each other daily, but somehow, putting it down on paper (blog), seems much more sincere.  And,  it's not that I don't mean it, it's just that I'm not as strong as she is, nor anyone else that can live without sugar (and junkfood). I secretly want to write a "sweets only" cookbook one of these days.  More than likely if I did that, I would be banned from the kitchen, forever.  Bill's not wild about sweet things, either, unless you don't count me! It's pretty funny when I bake cookies, or anything with sugar.  Bill will eat the one I give to him, and then can actually stay away from the good ol' cookie jar for a week or so.  One time I baked cookies and by the time he decided he wanted his second one (a week or two later), they were mysteriously gone!  He was so surprised.  If there were tons of kids living at home, it would be understandable, but, as I recall, it was only he and I...honestly!  I think we must have had a visitor that came while we were at work and devoured the morsels, don't you think?  Now that the holidays are behind us, I really don't have an excuse to bake all that fudge, pies, and yummy stuff, so I'm going to try to put on the brakes, and limit not only my own consumption of "sweets," but also the baking thereof.  Whew, that felt good!

Even though I didn't know him...

I'd like to thank someone that I don't even know.  It is he who is responsible for my day off tomorrow, and the extra sleep I'm going to get as a result of this "holiday."  Here goes:  "Thank you, Martin Luther King!"  There, I feel better.  I guess that means I'll have to thank all the famous people who, just because of their historical famousness (not really a word), I, and others like me, can sleep in!
Just had a thought...who do I thank for my summer vacation?  Anyone out there, reading this blog, help me out with this one, ok?

Here's a cute picture, to sign off.  I'm not sure what Jacob was doing here, maybe it was when Oregon lost their bowl game :)

Back to Reality

I can't believe Christmas break and beyond went so quickly.  It's great to be back home, but I want to let Jacob and Lauryn (Erin, Jesse and Landon, too) know I had a great time at their house, and I miss you guys!  We love all our kids and grandchildren, and I'm sure  that Bill and I would love to have everyone visit us this summer (hint, hint).  We could have a real party! 
It's weird here in class, as the new semester begins.  With many of my students, it's as if we're starting all over.  Some of them are just as whiney as ever, but I just hope they retained some of what they learned (or not) from last semester.  We begin testing (UBSCT, Utah Basic Skills Competency Test) in a couple of weeks, and my fingers are crossed.
I was getting my last period students ready to take a pretest (for the real thing), and one of them (a boy, a real big boy) came up and wanted to go to the bathroom.  I just hate it when it always seems to be a matter life or death.  I told him no, since we were starting the pretest, and he let me know (and the rest of the class) that he really needed to "go pee."  I told him to wait, since I would have gone up to him and quietly let him leave after we got settled.  I turned my back and he got up and left the room...that smug kid!  I didn't say anything to him when he returned, but when the bell rings to dismiss for the day, he will get to listen to my lecture on patience.

New Book

For all of you out there who are raising children, saving money (or at least trying to), here's a new book, written by a friend of Jenny's, called Centisble Meals.  This book was written by Lorae (Hunsaker) Bowdon who, with her husband, has a family of 9!  Jenny is trying to follow it and she has been saving money.  Lorae (author) apparently can save around $200 a month.  I'd say that is a BIG WOW!  If  you're interested, you can find it on Amazon.  There, that's my commercial for this blog.  Jenny and Adam want to do some traveling this summer, and you know how costly that can be.  More later...

I decided to bake one of my favorite cookies today, with the help of 3 year old Lauryn.  If she could, she would have tried to eat the whole batch...well, maybe not, since I'm sure I would have taken care of that all by myself!

"Jump For Joy!"

This is the name of the jumping place you take the kids when it's either too hot or too cold outside, or you just want to watch your kids defy gravity.  I'll take some pictures and post them later.

Lauryn really loves her animals, and tries to hide in her bucket with them!

Dallas, TX

Today we decided to head to Dallas (or somewhere nearby)  to celebrate Jacob's 9th birthday.  It's a place called "Dave and Busters," and let me tell you, it is crazy!  It's sort of like Chuck E. Cheese's on steroids. (sorry Chucky).  It was wild.  Our favorite game (and the one that gave the kids the most tickets, was the one where you pop in tokens at a rapid-fire basis and hope to knock off many precariouly perched tokens so you can win more tickets.  When we frinished that game (and allowed all the kiddies an equal opportunity to try their luck), we cashed in Jacob and Lauryn's tickets.  This is all very strange...the way they "count" the kids' tickets is you place them in a plastic bucket and they "weigh" them.  Right.  Jesse said we need to get the tickets wet next time so they'll weigh more :)  All in all, they came away with a huge pink kitty (Lauryn), a baseball cap with Dave and Busters' logo on it (Jacob), and various other treasures such as a Tinker Bell wallet, a pencil box/calculator combination, and so much more, I forgot the rest.  The important thing is the kids had fun and I really think the adults did too.  I'll download some pictures from this event tomorrow.
We also went to the mall that was attached to Dave's, and boy it was a mall on steroids, too.  There really must be something to the size of everything in Texas.  Go Longhorns!, or Oilers, or Rockets, aw heck, go everything Texas.  The only thing I'm not impressed with in Texas is a long standing tradition of the steaks in Amarillo, TX.  We ate there last spring when we helped Jesse and Erin move to Wichita Falls.  The steaks were the draw (especially the 72 oz. one), but we really weren't impressed.

The Rose Bowl Game

OK, THE GAME has officially started, and Jacob, Jesse and Juneau have become a bit crazy.  Not Juneau, just kidding, but the boys are off and running.  Here's a shot of them just prior to the game; boy, it's really intense around here!
This is what happens when Oregon scores a touchdown or fieldgoal:

The GAME ended, with the score 26-17, and if your a Ducks' fan, that's not a happy score.  I think it was hardest on Jacob.  Oh, well, there's always next year, and as Jesse said, "we're only losing 8 seniors, and the quarterback is coming back." Enough football.  I hope all had a nice New Year's Day, and the new year finds you in good health.  I'm here for about another week, and am looking forward to helping Erin and Jesse with their expanding family.  Little Landon is so cute!  I miss Bill a lot, but know that I'm needed here, and will see you soon.  Miss you too, Mandy!