Thanksgiving Baker ?!

Well, who'd of thunk it? Kristan can bake!! Yes, I am just a bit proud of myself for my latest baking endeavorS - yes, there were 2!

My mom left last week suddenly, to be with my Grandpa Anderson. He was having diabetes & congestive heart failure complications. Lately, due to the 20% heart circulation rate, his legs especially his toes, are developing ulcers. Well, he had to have a toe amputated & developed pneumonia while in the hospital. My mom left last Wed. to be with him.

The original plan was for Dad & I to drive down the following Wed. before Thanksgiving to pick her up & be back in town by Sunday. Since, Dad & I both had work obligations, we'd be leaving late Wed. & didn't plan on celebrating much Thanksgiving on Thursday. We have a large extended family, so we were confident SOMEONE would take us in.

Well, mom wasn't sure if Sun. she could leave and Dad and I didn't want to make the drive for 12 hours, just to return to CO without her! We changed plans & scheduled Thanksgiving with Chuck, Evelyn, & Noah instead. Evelyn planned the menu & I brought additions that I can't be without (green bean casserole, Grandma's Salad, & pumpkin pie). Where, however; was I going to get enough GUTS to actually MAKE this pie?

Yes, I was being the "loving sister"--I have been known to do so from time-to-time :0)! I know my brother LOVES pumpkin pie - it's his favorite, but he only gets to eat it around Thanksgiving & Christmas time. My mom always makes it because he loves it so...well, Grandpa's sick & now it's up to me.

I read all day, attempting to ignore or avoid the beast in my head saying, "You can't do this. You can make the pumpkin filling (as I have for MANY years 'helping' my mother) but you can't make the crust, roll it, unfold it, scallop the edges, etc. Just like mom does! Chuck is gonna taste this and laugh at you. It's going to burn, crack, or leak all over and make a mess." Finally, at 9:00pm I got started--I know, I'm SUCH a procrastinator (well, chicken too). Grandma's Salad was easy & by 9:35 I was ready to attempt the pie crust.

Everything came together nicely, rolling the dough was a NIGHTMARE. But all in all, I think my 1st pie looks alright. Best compliment was from my Grandma Anderson; I sent my Aunt Dee Dee via my cell phone, a picture of the pie. Grandma A saw it, called me, & said, "Ina, it looks lovely!" I replied, "Well, it's okay. It has some funny edges & some of the crust is crumbling." She said, "Well, you made if from scratch right? You know, Ina, you could have just bought a crust at the store but you didn't. Good for you! It looks wonderful."

Through the phone I beamed. You know it's true. We talk ourselves out of the difficult tasks, find everything else to do instead of just throwing down the flour and making the pie crust! Jeesh, who cares if it's a little crumbly? What matters is that I tried, I succeeded, I BAKED!

P.S. I also felt like making popovers after watching a Martha Stewart episode in October. I went to Wal-Mart, Target, & finally Williams Sonoma to find a popover cooking tray. Yes, they were fun to make & tasty too. I think I'm becoming some-type of domesticated, single girl!! Maybe it's practice so I don't become BUS BAIT! Ha, ha, ha...

Birthday & Baby Shower Bonanza

This weekend was full of birthday--MINE! My mom made the best spice cake with cream cheese frosting-YUM! After this year I'll leave my 20's behind...not that I'm rushing that. I read somewhere that if a girl isn't married by the time she's 30, she has a better chance of getting hit by a bus (funny book too). So...pretty soon I'm BUS BAIT, unless prince charming arrives this year~who knows right?!

Also, I was a hit gift giver for the 2 showers I had scheduled for 11/7. I couldn't attend both, but I gave diaper bag/changing pad combos to each of the ladies. And, not to toot my own horn (TOOT! TOOT!) they were both a hit-do I know my friends or what? Well, at least I know what questions to ask! Both moms loved them - to see pictures, google Signed With Stitches--her blog is the first one you'd click on. Amy did a FABULOUS job & the moms couldn't have been happier (they're the baseball & owl ones). Enjoy them ladies, I'm just happy to know they'll be put to good use & that both mothers are so proud of their unique designs.

Giving is so much fun!!

No Pedicures for Awhile

So I am a dumb A&%!!

I usually don't swear, but geesh I did a DUMB thing recently. I am a compulsive cuticle puller -- my nails ALWAYS have some cut or something from my fixation. I know that I do it in times of stress, I know it hurts, yet I am compulsive about it.

It's weird--I accept that, but it's how I handle stress.

Well, my compulsion took to the toenail so to speak & I pulled my right foot's cuticle. The moment it happened, my eyes bugged in pain. SOOOOOO STUPPPPPID! Things went from bad to worse on Monday because the area was red and swollen.

I have reached a new low - my brother-in-law has to snatch my foot and squeeze my toe so I won't get an infection. (He enjoys it, I KNOW!!) I have cried it hurts so much. I am ashamed to go to the nail salon & update my pedicure...

What's a girl to do?

Nanny

So far this week has been WONDERFUL! I can't say enough about how cute, cuddly, fabulous, & beautiful my niece, Addison, is. She sleeps well, cries rarely, & LOVES a warm bath. She looks just like Shawn...

The only sad thing is I leave Sunday :0(. I will miss hanging out with my sis & holding Addison. I get even more sad when I think about how I'll only see her 4-5 times a year!! I think I really have to look into moving. My family is wonderful & CO has grown on me over the last 8 years, but NO ONE compares to my sister - she just "get's me" without explanations or judgements. I LOVE that she is truly my BFF & we can have such a FABULOUS relationship. I truly feel adored.

September School Times

So, I will try to keep my "teacher talk" (as Juan calls it) to a minimum on my blog...I'm doing so well so far?! NOT!!! Well it is a huge part of my life, but I'm still learning (after 5 years in the biz) that I can't let it be my WHOLE life.

Now, I will try to keep running entries of my favorite funny things kids say...because I swear they are full of little one-liners that keep me laughing. The sad thing is when I tell people, I can't recall the story right then. Hopefully by jotting them down I will have something to jog my memory.

Favorite Quote for September so far: My mom teaches in an MH (Multiple Handicap) room. That means the students have a low IQ/learning disability that is significant. One of her little girls missed Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - the day of the controversial "Obama Speech." Now for a ranting. I am not an Obama fan, but I do believe he is a highly educated man, who is smart enough not to give a politically infused speech to children. I mean COME ON folks!!!! Any way, the little girl in my mom's class was asked, "Why didn't you come to school yesterday? Were you sick?"
She replied to my mom, "No. I'm not sick. My mom kept me home because she didn't want my brain washed yesterday." TOO FUNNNY!

I'm off to wash brains now...

"So, I see you're wearing flip flops...hmmmph!"

Okay, so let me start by saying I am the queen of making comments that come back to "bite me in the rear" as it were :0). Quiet I am not.

Blunt, check. Silly, check. Scarcastic, check. I know that no one is above reproach (including me), but I err on the side of if I don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all -- as mom taught me. So that being said let me tell you about the "substitute" Who Must Not be Named, that we had filling in for one of my 5th grade teammates today.

Upon my arrival at school (at 7:45ish--yes that is earlier than normal, but usually I arrive 8:00ish) I was greeted by a frazzled Nicole--a different 5th grade teammate, who rolled her eyes as she said, "I'm going to the library to print Kathy's sub plans for Mrs. _____ --she's been here & she's waiting for them."

Nicole isn't usually so flustered or pushy, so my response was "Oh, okay. I was just about to do that for Kathy, she asked me yesterday." Nicole and the sub leave & head for the printer. The sub is not heard/seen by me until 2:30pm at recess. Well, Nicole got the brunt of her behavior earlier that morning. This sub, proceeded to make remarks on her "casual attire" & the fact that she was, "wearing flip flops--hmmmph, like that's professional" she commented.

What?! Excuse me? The things people say, I swear! What gives this SUB the freedom to make such an inappropriate comment to my teammate, Nicole? Like it's her business. I know God prevents me from face-to-face situations like this, because my commment back would have sounded something like, "And you're a SUB because you can't get a real teaching job, no one would hire you anywhere, right?" I KNOW, sarcastic...check.

This type of behavior really gets under my skin -- mind your own business! And for crying out loud, if you have UNECESSARILY RUDE comments to make, please keep them to yourself. But of course, Nicole and I just vent to one another & she lets it roll off her back--being the bigger person it would seem. Wish I could say the same for one of my 5th grade boys...

So karma, gets us all right? I know that's an eastern religion phrase, but the idea of karma is also in the Bible ~Galations 6:7-10~. So tell me if this isn't just divine, one of my students in math was told by this same sub to "Go dance in the road with traffic at recess, not in my class!" What? Then, because she's obviously picking on him, he throws an eraser at her & it hits her face. LOL!!!!! I don't in any way advocate violence, but this is TOOOOO much. Really?! Did she just pick on a student & then he turn around, with all the guts in the world & defend himself, against an adult's attack?! YAY for him!

A referal to the principal was necessary for this boy, but I have a tough time hiding my smile. Good for HIM~stand up against rude people AKA bullies (young or old).

The First Days of School

Phew...I made it. Every year it's the same, getting back into the day-to-day routines of a teacher back at work. Man, we do a lot (please don't ever be one of "those" people who say, "I wish I had summers off--must be nice!") In 2 days I: moved into the P.O.D., arranged furniture, installed a shelf above my coatracks, hung posters, planned, and went to numerous meetings.

My class this year, well...they aren't the angels I had last year OR the difficult class I had in 2006-7. We'll see, only time will tell. I'm learning that they need to stay busy...they go from 0 to 60 in 1 second when they are not involved in a task! I have some sweet boys & really kind girls ~ some spunky boys and some that are just indescribable...as I found out on Thurs. when this certain boy said aloud, "I'll get my Thursday folder papers signed if the reward is worth it!" Excuse me?!!!! Needless to say, I gave a bit of a lecture about expectations for a few mins. Such audacity~it truly boggles my mind!

Best kid quote so far this year--a Kindergartener said to our principal on Wed. in the cafeteria when she was monitoring/helping the kiddos eat, line up, etc. "Mrs. Ritz, will you open my apple?" Of course he meant cut it, but SOOOOOO darling!

Sane, for now at least. My To Do's are down to 5...overall I'm managing the start to this school year swell :0).