Bag Lady

This is how I entered my home today... 5 bags in tow!

I'm not sure if anyone else is wondering, but seriously... WHY 5 BAGS?!? I asked myself this question and could come up with logical answers for carrying each, but the total amount still seemed unreasonable. Here is the breakdown:

1. School Bag - contains my computer, other odds and ends (i.e. a stuffed animal given to me by a student to pass along to MY mother for her birthday), yet no papers for grading (even though I have a PILE waiting for me on my desk at school!)
2. Lunch Bag - self explanatory. School lunches STILL scare me (ask me and I'll share my traumatic, and only, experience with lunch food with you)
3. Gym Bag - go to the gym with El Scooter on Tuesday and Friday mornings. Girls just require more to get ready (especially if I'm expected to look PRESENTABLE for work)
4. Grocery Bag - the infamous "stop" had to be made at the grocery store today to buy goodies for community group. Didn't mind at all... but it did add to my load.
5. Purse - never leave home without it. Has several necessary, and a few unnecessary, items inside

Suggestions please! Was there really any way to eliminate this baggage? I feel like I carried my life necessities around with me today. I either need suggestions on how to par down my entourage of items or a fancy shopping cart as my new accessory. Does anyone else have this issue?

from jessie (bag lady in waiting)... with love 

Still Going Strong

Going on week 2, I'm still helping the healthy hubby go "Vaguely Veg"! It is honestly going really well and it's causing me to stretch my culinary abilities beyond "what ELSE can I make with chicken?" dishes. 

I wanted to share two recipes we attempted recently; the first recipe is Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers courtesy of AllRecipes.com (a personal haven of recipe goodness).  They were defiantly different to make, and they ended up tasting nothing like a burger (shocker!). WHY Scott and I imagined it would taste like biting into a juicy, char-grilled Chili's Burger, WHO KNOWS? What I do know is that after we got over the disappointment of them actually tasting like BLACK BEANS with veggies on a bun, they turned out to be pretty tasty! 

The Review of said burgers? Jessie says, "Now that I know what to expect, I'll eat them again, next week maybe." Scott says, "Not really what I wanted, but I'll eat it again, eventually."

The second recipe is one I made TONIGHT! It's a Rachel Ray recipe, and honestly, her meals are hit and miss for me. So... I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one but I was willing to give it a try: Tortellini with Spinach Walnut Pesto. I've heard before that spinach and walnuts in a "pesto" mix are healthy alternatives to the usual basil and pine nuts, so the recipe didn't seem to far fetched. Surprise to me... the recipe yields SO MUCH FOOD! Definitely recommend cutting the recipe in half. Half the recipe made enough for both of us to eat our fill (we are not small people!) and make two leftover tupperware containers for lunch tomorrow. WAY MORE THAN enough! 

The Review of RECIPE 2? Scott says, "Is there enough for me to take some for lunch tomorrow? Good Stuff!" Jessie says, "The 'pesto' mix alone is grassy, but once everything is all together, YUMMO!" (yeah... I went there). 

So there you go, two new "vaguely veg" recipe reviews for ya! If you have any recommendations, please feel free to leave them in the comments section. Speaking of which... THANK YOU EVERYONE for the response to my blog here recently! I feel so loved!

from jessie (veggie-vore)... with love 

It's SUNDAY!

This weekend was a much deserved "lazy weekend" for me! THANK GOODNESS! As part of every weekend (lazy or otherwise), Scott and I visit one set of parents on Sunday for lunch and family time. This Sunday it was my parents' turn for a visit. However, I went solo today because Scott was performing his volunteer duties for Water's Edge (good job baby!). 

Mom came to today's service with me so I wouldn't have to sit alone (not that I'd ever be alone at church... I'd totally force my company onto one of my Community Group buddies). After the awesome service, I followed her up to "the property", aka "Beechtree Hill", which is more popularly known as "Mom and Dad's New Place". We spent our day ordering a wedding book online, sharing food, soaking up the sun on the front porch, and just walking around the land generally enjoying one another's company. Here are some pictures to document our day: 

To top it all off, I COOKED DINNER! After going Vaguely Vegetarian all week with Scooter (which has been refreshing), I decided to cook a dish with meat in it, italian sausage to be exact. I knew my dad was a sucker for pasta, so I whipped up some Penne Vodka and mom helped with the salad. It got two thumbs way up from both parents! 

Although I'm not REALLY ready for Monday to be upon me, I think I'm okay with it this week. I've got a wonderful rested weekend behind me and spring break ahead of me on the horizon (one more week!). So here's to great weekends!

from jessie (rested and relaxed)... with love 

YUMMY or YUCKY

Inspiration for a new, reoccurring blog post came to me today while shopping in the grocery store with my WONDERFUL mother. An interesting item caught my eye while I picked up my Jello pudding in the chill section. Upon seeing it I thought... "GROSS" and then proceeded to wonder who would buy such an item. Through this thought came inspiration.

I've been brainstorming since I started this blog about what I could do that would be the equivalent to the fantastic Rob Sheperd's "Cool or Uncool" weekly post. Since Rob is so wonderful, I did not want to rip off his idea, but mold it to something that was my own (take it as a compliment Rob). Thus my friends, I present to you...

YUMMY or YUCKY?

Cinnamon Roll Sugar-Free Jello Pudding Snacks

Your Turn: Decide if you'd eat this item (Yummy) or pass it up for fear of gagging/barfing (YUCKY) and post your response in the "comments" section. It's that easy!

In order for this to work, you have to contribute. So PLEASE... COMMENT!!!

from jessie (food critic)... with love

CLASSROOM CATASTROPHE

Maybe not QUITE a catastrophe, but close. Thank GOODNESS I arrive at school early to get my day ready before the students arrive because I walked into find the scene you see pictured here! My "Class Library" had toppled over and the shelf had broken into its various pieces. WHOA! Not quite the way I had pictured my day starting. 

Walking in to find this scene should have been a shock... but since the beginning of the year my students have been pretty rough on that $40 Target book shelf and you could see its battle wounds. For the past 4 weeks the shelf had been SLOWLY but SURLEY tilting to the side. This was an entertaining (and worrisome) sight because the top part remained erect while the bottom half created its tilted, parallelogram shape. Although these leanings were a DESPERATE cry from the Class Library for help, I keep ignoring the warning signs. One student even told me yesterday that her brother could fix it because he had tools... to which I replied, "That's nice, but I have tools too and I can fix it on my own just fine sweetie." Yes... laugh at me now! 

So I picked up the mangled pieces of my class library shelf and quickly cleared some space on my "built in shelves" for the "genre baskets". This set up will have to do for now, but if you have a STURDY, RELIABLE bookshelf you are attempting to rid yourself of, give me a call!

from jessie (bad librarian)... with love

NOTE: THANK YOU SO MUCH to EVERYONE who has been visiting my BLOG! I hope I am keeping you entertained. A SPECIAL THANKS goes out to those who have named themselves as "followers" (you have a special place in my heart). AND TO THOSE OF YOU WHO LEAVE COMMENTS... so much love!

Taxes and a Video

These two things have NOTHING to do with one another, but I'm killing two birds with one stone (so to speak) with tonight's post. 

FIRST BIRDIE- The Fantastic, Wonderful, Oh-So-Knowledgeable, Helpful Katie came over tonight after we hit up the gym and played "tax lady" for Scott and I. As an educated, married couple, Scott and I are not ashamed to say we are tax illiterate. When he and I sat down to file MY tax return last year it ended in tears and midnight phone calls to parents (seriously). So this year we would have used a tax service, but the one we had planned on using had some shady aura about it; and since Katie had boasted about how EASY it was for her to file her taxes on her own, we sent out our S.O.S.! We did it with no tears and no distressed phone calls. Friends in the know (especially KATIE friends) just ROCK!!! She did our TAXES for FREE (well... I fed her some yummy food, so it works out). Thanks Katie. 

SECOND BIRDIE- While web surfing through my frequented blogs, I ran across a post about this video. I've never heard of the artist, Oren Lavie, but I couldn't resist watching a good video. It is so creative. The other blogger referenced the awesome freshness of the OK GO video (the one the uses the treadmills) when describing the inspired and creative nature of this video. Let me know what you think (and watch it all the way through!). 

from jessie (very efficient)... with love

FICTIONARY TERMS

CG (code name: community group) was tonight, which means I'm getting home late, which means quick post THEN bedtime!

Over the past couple of days i've been inspired by a series of events to create/share some new fictionary terms. These events include: a trip to hooters, community group, time on the computer, and (another one that I FORGOT as soon as I sat down to type it!). So here they are...

lava-poo - (noun) the type of bowel movement that occurs upon eating Hooters wings or Spicy Ethnic food two days in a row; occurs mainly with males.

matriculate* - (verb) to move from one room in the house into the living room

commentitis- (noun) an obsession that occurs mainly in bloggers and facebook-ies in which the author/creator constantly checks their account for comments and messages from other users/followers.

So there they are friends (minus ONE because my brain FORGOT). And because I do suffer from commentitis myself, leave me something fun in the comments section when you're done!

from jessie (commentitis sufferer since Feb. 09)... with love

* matriculate is in fact a real word which has been modified slightly for use in our community group setting (courtesy of Jake Miller). The actually definition reads,"to enroll as a member or a body especially of a college or university."

Vaguely Vegetarian Recipe Review

My wonderful husband has decided that during the week days he wants to do all in his power to eat vegetarian. I completely support this decision. However, (self admittedly from the scooter's mouth) when he makes up his mind to "try something new", I'm left doing the grunt work when it comes to finding recipes to fit said eating choice. But last week Scott complied a short list of veggie-friendly recipes for me to make. Needless to say, my job was easy: print the recipe, make, eat, review! 

SO, after last night's HOOTERS HOT WINGS DATE FEAST (I did tell you he was only being vaugley veg remember?) Scott made himself a cucumber-tomato sandwitch and it was up to me to make dinner. Tonight, that dinner just happened to be... Apple, Sauerkraut, and Cheddar Quesadillas with Rice Pilaf. It is what it sounds like.

APPLE, SAUERKRAUT, and 

CHEDDAR QUESADILLAS

• 1 cup Sauerkraut, rinsed
• 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 burrito sized flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 small Granny Smith Apple, peeled and thinly sliced

RICE PILAF

• courtesy of Rice-A-Roni 
• (the San Francisco Treat) 

So Scott and I both sat down to eat the adventurous dinner described above. The goal of the recipe is to combine the tartness of the apples, with the sharpness of the cheese, and balance that taste with the tangy kick of the sauerkraut. Scott chose to top his quesadillas off with sour cream, which freaked me out considering the quesadillas contained SAUERKRAUT! I feel like that's equivalent to dipping a pickle in milk and eating away. Sour stomach city! Although he survived the meal, I chose to pass on that concept. The review?

Scott- Gone in 60 Seconds (YUMMY!)

Jessie- Waiting for Godot (Will eat again, but didn't thrill me)

I'm still completely up for more experimentation when it comes to vegetarian meals, but I doubt this will make its way onto MY gold star list. Despite my mediocre experience with this recipe, I'm looking forward to the Tex-Mex Wraps and an already tried and true veggie recipe from my favorite magazine (Real Simple) called Deviled Pasta. I'll check back in with you on those two when they are made. 

from jessie (cooperatively veg)... with love 

Friday Night Insights

Here I am. It's Friday night and my young and vibrant self (I'm not too old to call myself that) is sitting at home, husband-less, listening to Viva La Vida and BLOGGING! Oh yeah... you don't have to tell me I'm cool (but you can if you want to). 

Scooter is off for the night hanging out with Danny doing something he hasn't done in a long time: attending a local show. I'm so happy for him. Music is such a HUGE part of his life, WHY would I tell him not to go?! 

So that leaves me here... alone. Sure I could have called a friend, but I'm lazy and feel unimportant when it comes to "hanging out priorities". I feel as if most of my friends either have family obligations (children) or already made plans for their Friday Night! Katie was lovely enough to spend some time with me at the gym tonight hip-hopping (new verb?). Tomorrow, Sunday, and next weekend I will busy myself with plans and friends, but tonight, it is ME time. The most unfortunate part of my circumstance is that I am lacking any/all of the following items: oreos, thin mint cookies, ANY ice cream, pizza, and would a margarita be too much to ask for?

I took this chance at free time to watch a movie Katie loaned me called "American Teenager". It's like Breakfast Club... documentary style. Not the most amazing movie ever, but not horrible. Anyways, towards the end the "geek" starts talking about how much he's looking forward to college because THEN he can choose what he wants to be; THEN he can find a group to be accepted in. Although I enjoyed the window into the other stereotypes in the documentary, this moment in the film struck a chord with me. All this boy wanted to feel was loved. He wanted to be important to someone. And I don't feel like that's too tall of an order. 

I don't want anyone whom I encounter to EVER feel unimportant!

I think that this feeling stems from being loved by God and being part of a loving, thriving church community. Being a Christ-follower, and knowing that I am important, loved, and special in my own way makes me want to help others realize this too (although coming from a loving family and having great friends doesn't hurt either). I HAVE been made to feel unimportant before, and I NEVER want to make or allow anyone else to feel like this. Understandably, this is a lofty call. However, I will do all in my conscious ability to show others the love that I've been shown so that they might feel, if only for a moment, just how important, unique, and special they are too! This includes YOU too by the way!

So that was my Friday Night Insight which came to me in the middle of folding laundry ( I'm just CRAZY WILD over here!). Here's wishing you a fantastic and fulfilling weekend!

from jessie (saying "you, too, are special")... with love

Unashamed

So, the past two days of my morning commute have been spent listening to Trisha on the Z-Morning Zoo talk about her trip to see the New Kids on the Block reunion tour in Richmond. She was SO excited about going and seeing Joey, her favorite, and the rest of the men in the group. All I could think was, "EWW! They aren't talented!" I took time to watch the music video when their newest single, "Summertime", was released. As I watched (jaw dropped) I was in awe of the fact that people were actually listening to this, buying the whole "I'm still cute and boyish yet manly" act, and LIKING IT! However, I stopped today and realized something important...

Trisha's love and devotion of NKOTB despite their mediocre ability is no different than my admiration and continued loyalty to the SPICE GIRLS! 

I am, and will forever be, a fan of the Geri, Victoria, Emma, Mel B., and Mel C. They were an inspiration and hope to me during a time in my life when the only word I used to describe myself was "ugly" and "uncool". I would listen to a Spice Girls song, channel their message of GIRL POWER, and for a few brief moments feel empowered and pretty. As cheesy as their schtick was... it made me feel great in my own skin. So I get it. I get the lure to "mediocre", "tacky", "pop" music. Sure it wasn't deep, and it didn't make me contemplate my existence... but it made me fell like it was okay to be bubbly, silly, and childish at times! 

Spice Girls stood above my other pop-y obsessions because each girl (as I'm certain was planned by their managing team) carried her own proverbial torch of GIRL POWER! There was a sporty one, a scary (crazy) one, an innocent-girly one, a posh-socialite one, and a sassy-sexy one! Can you guess which one I admired most? 

This is my "not so dirty" laundry: I love the SPICE GIRLS in all their mediocrity and own all 4 of their CDs! So now I have three questions for you:

1. What band can you admit to loving that probably isn't the most talented out there, but they just carry that "it" factor for you? 
2. Which Spice Girl is your favorite and why? 
   
3. If you could create your OWN "SPICE GIRL" name what would it be?

from jessie (All Spice)... with love 

Community Group

ROCKS!!!

I so glad to be associated with you: Scott, Kristi, Jake, Katie, Amanda, Sean, Brandy, Sherry, Amy, Josh, Klay, Sarah

I love connecting with people (especially these people)! 

from jessie (doing life together)... with love

p.s. the picture to the right is in no way reflective of the members in our community group 

FICTIONARY TERMS

So, to put it simply, my life has been BUSY the past couple of days. Even today, after I got through with school, I ran around doing erands only to come home and CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN! I'm now attempting to sit around and relax for a moment (not sure how likely that is). One of the things I like to do on the computer to relax insipired me to create a new FICTIONARY TERM...

Web-dow Shopping- (noun) derived from the term "window shopping". The act of perusing stores and items on the internet with no intention to buy; to browse and admire items for sale on the internet.

thoughts? I am a chronic web-dow shopper; and being such, I have found so many items that I LOVE on the internet. So partially because I feel the need to share the fabulous finds, and partially because this is a shameless "birthday gifts" plug (April 29th people), here are some of my recent discoveries: 

Burnout Hand-printed Shirt , Key Fob (so practical!), CUTE apple keychain, 

Sanuk Sandal/Shoes (inspired by Kristi M.), stylish lunch bag , another BEAUTIFUL necklace (you knew it was coming!), plush monster, FANTASTIC sandals 

So my web-dow shopping has accrued much more damage than this, but inserting ALL the fantastic items would be TOO painstaking. More posts like this are to come, inevitably; so if you enjoyed my finds, stay tuned. If you didn't enjoy this post, stick around anyways (I don't ALWAYS talk about girly stuff). 

from jessie (web-dow shopper not-so-anonymous)... with love 

lapses in judgement

I work at an elementary school where there is no lack of ridiculous stories of student escapades. I will not (because I want to be a good teacher) used any names, however, I will recount some stories of today, just so you can share in the madness that is my work life...

•  SCENE ONE: the boys bathroom early morning- an adventurous fourth grade student decides that feces (doo-doo!) is a moldable substance. Discovering this, the young man persists to create dooky-balls which he then carefully places on top of each, of four, urinal handles. Most likely realizing that molding this substance leaves a residue on one's hands, the student then proceeds to wipe his tainted hands on the walls of the urinal. In fear of being caught, the young man vacates the restroom which now waits silently for unsuspecting prey. ( GOD BLESS OUR CUSTODIAN!)
  
• SCENE TWO: my classroom; a young man sitting in a desk directly in front of my own, which I'm currently occupying grading papers- a "gifted" student is cold and proceeds to put on his hoodie. He manages to put it on correctly and teacher returns to her desk work while student proceeds to do his own. Elapse time-2 minutes. Student calls teacher's attention. As she looks up she is greeted with a worried look and an improperly placed hoodie sleeve hole, "TEACHER, I don't know how... but my head is stuck inside my hoodie sleeve. I don't know how it happened." Oh dear child... 
• SCENE THREE: a fifth grade classroom; teacher has stepped out for a brief moment while a teacher in an adjacent classroom "watches (i.e. listens in)" on her class- a female fifth grader has brought a bottle of super glue to school with ill intent. While a fellow student briefly moves away from his seat, she moves in on the empty chair with her weapon. As the unsuspecting child returns to his seat, he is greeted with globs of super glue which, a few moments later, have secured him temporarily to his seat. Fearing the repercussions of her actions, the female student proceeds to pay the class to keep the situation hush and not tattle. A SMARTER student keeps the money and quietly makes the teacher aware upon her return. 

True tales from a teacher who's been there. Thankfully, only two of these three situations involved me (the feces situation indirectly though as my "guilty" student was proven innocent later in the afternoon when the true culprit was caught brown handed... bad joke?). So yes... Friday the thirteenth caused lapses in judgement. But to be honest, this happens every day. I'm thankful that now, as an adult, I have the awareness and willingness to stop and think about my actions before acting on impulses (the majority of the time). Sure my judgement may have lapsed when I posted a silly cat picture with yesterday's blog, but that was a mere "tasteful" fowl. Nothing compared to the events I see play themselves out on a day to day basis in my school ( and most schools for that matter). What will our future be like? Only GOD knows!!!

from jessie (I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried)... with love

WEEKEND WINGDING

A little fyi: thesaurus.com lists "wingding" as a synonym for "celebration". Hmmmm. It is defined as...

1. a noisy, excting celebration or party
2. a fit, either induced by drugs or feigned

I'm going for a NUMBER 1 type wingding weekend for Scott's birthday (and mom's!) this weekend. Starting tomorrow, my days are PACKED!!!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I love the opportunity to get together with friends to celebrate a shared friend/loved one. However, its going to mean some gym sacrafices. I normally double dose on Fridays (once in the morning with scott and dance class with katie at night) and top it all off with a class on saturday morning (step class). However, due to party plans, I am going to be a "wingding" machine this weekend. I'm so excited at the prospect of the merriment this weekend holds. 

So to everyone this weekend... enjoy yourself. Whether it be going out with friends, hanging out at home with a friend/spouse, or just taking some time to do something for you, take full advantage of what this weekend has to offer. 

from jessie (weekend junkie)... with love 

BIRTHDAY BOY

March and April are busy months in our family...there are 6 birthdays and an anniversary. Busy, Busy, Busy! Well two of those birthdays (and the anniversary of course) are very special to Scott and I because they belong to us!!! We don't really go all out for Valentine's day, or get one another many small gifts in between the holidays, so birthdays are our chance to really show our LOVE and APPRECIATION for one another. 

Scott's birthday is TOMORROW (today if you are reading this on Thursday, and yesterday if you are reading this on Friday, and belated if you are reading this after the fact). But this year has been crazy for the both of us. I won't go into why, but the onset of school (ie. calculus) has really brought scott down and pulled him out of his usual "ITS MY BIRTHDAY" attitude! This saddens me. 

SO, I'm calling on you... yes YOU, to wish scott a sincere happy birthday today via e-mail (sminter@gmail.com), a comment on his blog, writing on his wall, or a phone. He gets to hear encouraging, happy, "i love you" words from me all the time, and I think a few from loving friends might help him feel slightly more celebratory. 

SO SCOTT, I love you and hope that your birthday, and the years to come, bring you all the joy you deserve!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOOTER!!!

getting older isn't so bad if you do it with someone you love!

from jessie (bring on the party)... with love

A Card for MOMMY

I am my mother's daughter, and just like her, I spend WAY TOO LONG in the card section of Target/Hallmark (I spare my wonderful husband of this painful journey). I search long and hard for a design, words, and presentation that fits the recipient of the card. Normally, my efforts are rewarded; like when I find the card that suits my goofy friend, with the funny "between you and me" type joke, that has a picture of two old ladies on the front with their dresses tucked into their panty-hose. I'm just that good. But when it comes to "mom" birthday cards, and not just MY MOM birthday cards,EVERYONE'S MOM birthday cards, I have come to a horrifying realization: 98% of the cards don't focus fully on the recipient!

All through my card shopping on Saturday and today I picked up card after card in the "Mom Birthday" section and found NOTHING but... 

• you make MY life so wonderful
  
•  I am an amazing person because of you
  
•  I think everyday of how much MY life is touched by you
  
•  blah blah ME, blah blah blah MY LIFE, blah ME ME ME

Now, I am not a mother, and I realize that part of a mother's joy derives from seeing her children grow up healthy and happy. And I'm sure being recognized and appreciated by your children is vindicating, but ALL these cards did was focus on the child's life, the child's memories, the child's happiness! FOR GOODNESS SAKES... I want to celebrate the fact that my mom is a complete person! Not just a mother... but a wife, a friend, a woman of God! I WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF WHO SHE IS ON HER BIRTHDAY! (whew!)

So... all this to say that we should really rethink Birthday cards for mom. Sure, take a second to recognize mom and the impact she has had on your life, but take a longer moment to recognize her as a person and all the things that make HER special and unique (not just motherhood).

 I LOVE YOU MOM, for ALL THE WOMAN THAT YOU ARE! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

from jessie (mommy's girl)... with love

Serene Sunday

If I had to choose one word to describe my mood today it would be...CALM <3

Today was full of family time. Not only did I get to bring my mother to one of my favorite places on earth, Waters Edge Church, but we (along with Scott and Katie) were able to share in the joy of being in God's presence today! I spent a fantastic and relaxing afternoon with the Minter family: Mom and Dad Minter, Megan, Drew, A.J., and Leon. Everyone was in such an easy going mood today, and it made me feel calm... serene. 

And to top it all off, Scott and I had a GOOD, DEEP, SPIRITUAL discussion on the way home. As open as my husband is about ALL of his thoughts, beliefs and spirituality is not something we often discuss. SO... it felt REALLY WONDERFUL to open up and talk with him on the way home from his parent's today. Topic of our discussion: The Bible-How literally do we take the events detailed within? We discussed several points and agreed on a conclusion; amongst all the healthy debates you could have over the events detailed in the Bible, the most IMPORTANT belief that you can hold (and the one I feel is most vital to a relationship with God) is that Jesus died for our sins and defeated death! After that, God will work with you through your relationship with Him to understand all the other aspects of the Bible!

Today was a good day!

from jessie (contented)... with love 

DAYLIGHT savings

" Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,

  please shine down on me! "

What an unexpected, beautiful day here on the peninsula! It absolutely amazes me that on MONDAY of this week, I got a phone call announcing a snow day. And today, SATURDAY, just 5 days later, I'm walking around in my flip flops and a t-shirt. FANTASMIC! 

Days like today prove two things to me: God has a sense of humor and Virginia has ridiculous weather patterns. 

So how have I spent this glorious day? Well... first, I met Katie at the gym (our second home) for our weekly step class ( which COMPLETELY KICKED MY HINEY TODAY!). Came home, cleaned up, and headed out to go grocery shopping. Made a pit stop for a "Scott Birthday Surprise" drop off, and met up with mom. She accompanied me shopping ( I love my time with her!). Came home, dropped off groceries, ate lunch, and made one more birthday stop. 

So now I'm back home and I plan on taking FULL ADVANTAGE of this beautiful day by delving into my David Sedaris book and soaking in the sun on my lovely sunny balcony. 

FRIENDLY REMINDER: spring forward one hour tonight!!!

from jessie (all toasty inside and out)... with love

IN a FRIDAY FUNK...kinda

I feel the need to really be a BLOGGER tonight and load all my "followers" down with the woes of my life. Okay...not the woes exactly, just thoughts on my mind. So sit back, and read, as we take a journey into my thoughts...

* BEING BETTER- Yes, being better. I feel sometimes (i.e. today) like I don't have the time to better myself and my actions, and that's no good. I'm working to kick this thought but old habits die hard. For example, my dad texted me yesterday about my mother's birthday. YESTERDAY, I picked up the text at school and promised myself I'd call him back. What did I do? I got distracted with a million other things and didn't call him until it hit me THIS MORNING. What does that look like to daddy-kins? Possibly that he and mommy are not priorities in my life? So not true. Example two, I have a student in my class (code name C ). He could benefit greatly from one on one help from me: me sitting by his side, keeping him focused, and taking him step by step through what he needs to do. But I'm unable to accommodate this need because I have 19 other students that require my one on one devotion and care as well. Being better is hard, and though I'm tryin....I'm dyin. ( too dramatic? oh well, I am a woman ) God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference!

* RHYTHM- So, my amazing friend katie and I take a hip-hop class on Friday nights. Not the most conveniently timed class, but fun none the less. SO...my assumption is that if you choose to attend a class titled "hip-hop", that you would realize rhythm and coordination might be a prerequisite. But I have learned, no...this thought does not cross some people's minds when choosing to attend. I've been amazed at how little coordination exists in the world (aka, the YMCA Yorktown)!!! Outside of professional dancers, dance has become a "bumping and grinding" club activity that requires little outside of gushing hormones. I say NO AMERICA...lose the bumping and grinding, and return to RHYTHM...rediscover DANCE! GOT RHYTHM? 

* CHOOSING BETWEEN THE BETTER OF THE BEST- As much as hip-hop class brings an unmistakable "grove" to my step, and bliss to my heart, it's on friday nights. Bad! I have found myself missing out on some activities recently due to my hip-hop hypnosis. ONE: Scott and I don't get a "date night" on fridays. This is a big deal when you consider that all week, he's either at class or studying for class. Fridays and Saturdays are really our only time together. Is it worth it to cut it short? TWO: parties and get-togethers! I have already had to turn down two party offers in the two months that I've been attending hip-hop. The saddest of which recently was Bethany P.'s invite to her Southern Living Party (sorry bethany). I would have loved the chance to make a new friend and attend, but I chose hip-hop. WHAT'S A GIRL TO DO? I clearly need to find some balance here. Dancing is like food for my soul, that food that you go out and eat and feel so special for partaking in! But my friends and loved ones are also food for my soul, but more like the home-cooked goodies that make you feel warm inside. What a conundrum! 

SO... that's MY post for tonight. Tomorrow's should be better... an easier read. But tonight, this is me. These are my thoughts. 

from jessie (befuddled)... with love 

to gym or not to gym...

...that, unfortunately, is the question this evening.

Fortunately, it's actually already been answered by the fact that I am already settled in our comfy recliner with the foot rest pulled out (obviously, it would be far too difficult to try and get out now).

Exercising is something I have struggled with for a very long time...for the last 2 months, however, I have been going at least 4 days a week and it really does make me feel better. However, tonight, I have disappointed myself by boldly deciding that the premiere of America's Next Top Model Cycle 12 is MUCH more important than getting my eliptical on. This is a decision I'm sure to regret tomorrow...when it's weigh-in day on Sunday...maybe I'll just skip weigh-in day...and eat some more of that Ben & Jerry's that sitting in the freezer...ooo and i think i saw a hot dog in there too....

...see, this is how it all starts.

I can't help it - I just love food and and general all-around laziness. I'm just really good at it. It has been great having a workout buddy though (shout out to the jessie!) but she is sick tonight, and the bf is at kung fu class, so i guess i will just have to find a way to accept that this wednesday, it's just me, tyra, ben, jerry, oscar meyer, and whatever the netflix stork brought me today....and somehow, i think i'll be okay with that.

until then...save a horse, read a blog

*did*

Are you Smarter than a Fourth Grader?

Here's how this is going to work...

Every week I am going to post a question that I might ask my fourth graders. Then, here's the BIG TWIST... YOU TRY TO ANSWER IT! (I know, I'm very original). You will be on the honor code to not go searching on the internet for the answer, use your own brain power. Post your answer in the "comment" section. Those commentators who choose the CORRECT answer will make it onto the * GOLD STAR * list the following week (oooo....ahhhhh!). So, here is this weeks question:

Q: Which of the following was NOT a hardship faced by the early Jamestown settlers after choosing the site on the James River?

a. dirty drinking water

b. lack of food, starvation

c. fire destroyed the site

d. disease

FICTIONARY TERMS

thanks to laura f. (thanks lovely) I was reminded of a word I used often in my college days that I'm adding to the fictionary database...

hurty-wurty (adj)- used to describe pain in a childlike and gentile manner. Laura's feet were hurty-wurty due to her ill-fitting fitting shoes. 

and an addtitional term that was born out of friday's hip-hop session with katie...

fantasmic (adj)- used to describe and event or circumstance where "fantastic" fails to wholly encompass the awesomeness of the experience. Mastering that dance all the way thorough was fantasmic! 

mini basket

So far, I've managed to use my snow day productively.  After cooking breakfast pancakes for the hubby and I, I got going on a fabric basket that I found the other day. With just a few scraps from the trusty "tupperware-o-fabric" and the ability to follow directions, I DID IT! (see picture)

Although the directions provided in the tutorial were FANTASTIC, I think I failed to realize the sizing scale of said basket. My original thoughts were... "OOOO...something to use underneith the coffee table to hold my scrapbooks and magazines". After making the basket my thoughts are... "ahhhh...something to hold my keys when I come in the door". Needless to say, it's definatly a mini basket! 

Despite my disappointment in its size, the mini basket was a great way to use up small pieces of fabirc ( there was not a single piece that measured over 10" x 12"). I might make this in the future to hold a collection of items for a birthday present (bath and body works eat your heart out!). 

For anyone who cares to know, a rotary cutter and quilting mat would make this project go much quicker next time through (hey...look at that...another gift idea!). I think for my next project I'll try this  tote-able towel. 

What would you store in a basket this small? 

from jessie (seamstress)...with love

snow far, snow good

HORRAY! I got a PHONE CALL at 5:20 am this morning. Let me pause there. That is quite early. Normally, I would not be okay with this, but the information contained within said phone call was just what I was hoping for...

SNOW DAY <3

Two major perks of being employed as a teacher are that snow days and summer breaks still apply to your life! There is definitely plenty of hardship and headache to be had dealing with a school full of all types of children ranging from ages 5 to 12, but some days make all that headache go away. Today IS one of those days. 

Here in Virginia we are not often treated to snow days, so here is my plan of attack to take full advantage of my unplanned day off:

 * sit...do nothing for atleast 30 minutes

* make pancakes for Scott and I before he has to go to work 

 * work on the this week's lesson plans that I didn't do yesterday

 * post another blog

* tackle a sewing project (maybe...maybe not)

 * read a book (David Sedaris maybe?)

However, my ULTIMATE GOAL is to enjoy the snow that we so RARELY see here on Virginia's Hampton Roads Peninsula! What are you doing during this snow day? Did "the man" make you go into work during regular time? Was he kind enough to let you go in a few hours late? Or, did you (like me) get a small break from the long work week and receive a free day off? If so, what are you going to do with your day? Please share, maybe we can inspire one another with our snow day activities. 

So until then, enjoy yourself! Take a moment to step outside (and I mean a moment!It's COLD), take a deep breath of the fresh, cold air, and say "Thank you Lord for giving me a reason to stop and admire your beautiful creation!"

from jessie (snow bunny)...with love

introducing FICTIONARY TERMS and PHRASES

Do you make up words or phrases to incorporate into your vocabulary database? Well...even if you don't, I do! And my friends are a big help in this madness! So, here are the first additions to the FICTIONARY TERMS and PHRASES vault!

friend-in-law (noun)- a friend that is obtained through your significant other. Jessie's friend Katie became Scott's friend-in-law soon after the wedding. 

"blog it out"(cyber-slang)- a phrase used when your emotions and thoughts must be typed out and shared with others via cyberspace for you to better cope.