Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Mental Health Day

This week is dragging on. I know I'm not the only one that feels this way-- my students are falling asleep in class, teachers make eye contact and grimace....my mood can be summed up as:


Tomorrow's "Mental Health" day will be all about me. (And maybe just a little about working on the house.) I need to refuel, which will probably consist of some much-needed quiet/reflecting time with the Lord & spending most of the day outdoors. Maybe a good run. Diego time at the beach.

I pledge not to:
Check my work email
Go on Facebook 
Clean or do laundry
Eat leftover Halloween Reeses 

Monday, November 1, 2010

a REAL Halloween

Growing up there weren't too many trick-or-treaters. You'd see a couple other kids wandering the streets, but not a whole lot. Granny always took us to the mall, where we'd loop the entire thing and get candy from every store. My Halloween days pretty much ended in 8th grade when I wore my volleyball uniform and lamely perused the neighborhood. 

In college, I didn't take advantage of the holiday by using it as an excuse to parade in my panties. (Although we did throw one 'dress like your favorite drink' party....) 

Last year I celebrated with a FL/GA win, thus not making it home in time to pass out candy.

Finally, 2010-- the Halloween of all Halloweens!!

Thank you, Mrs. Suey, for giving me your hand-made square dancing dresses before you passed away. You will always be in my heart as the nice old lady who lived down the street and whose house smelled like mothballs.

Construction dog? (Borrowed it last-minute from a neighbor....)

Why sit alone in your house and wait for trick-or-treaters when you can combine forces and knock 5 houses out in one trip! Genius.

I <3 my pretend children who bring me joy every day with their squeals of laughter, ridiculous stories from school, and knocks on the door accompanied by, "Can Mike come out and play?"

This is what Halloween should be like. Neighbors coming together for potlucks and drinks while the kids run around the street. Good times. 



Thursday, October 28, 2010

Current Loves

So thankful the weekend is *almost* here. Between grades being due this week, Wyldlife's "Hoedown Throwdown," Odyssey of the Mind meetings, the truck battery finally dying (subsequently having to bum rides to work,) and preparing for today's formal observation, my body's rebelling a bit from thinking too hard. 

Detoxing my mind from this week requires healthy doses of the following:


   


(Mile-High-Salsa-Pie + Oktoberfest = one happy girl) 

Here's to the weekend... to the Gators slaughtering the Bulldogs, to Halloween festivities, to spending time with siblings, and the hope of cool weather returning. 






Monday, October 25, 2010

Current mood?

Right now I feel like 


(not the trashy party, just the grouch.)

The truck's battery is dead.
I have papers to grade out the wazoo.
Diego is staring at me, begging for play time.
No groceries = strange dinner creations.

Look at the bright side...
I have a car and funds to fix it.
I have a job.
I have the best dog in the world. 
I have food for dinner
(even if it's frozen brussel sprouts, ice cream,  and spanish rice.)

(note drool coming out of mouth that eventually migrated onto my leg)



And I was invited to play today at one of my former student's house.
Mom gave me permission, even on a school night.


Oh life. 


Sunday, October 24, 2010

Mom's Here

It's a joy to spend time with your mother, especially when you haven't seen her since July. That's been the longest ever, I think... I promise not to ever do that again, Momma. We spent a relaxing weekend shopping & walking the beach, and I found this, which was the first I've ever seen in my entire life out in real life:


I've also had a life do-over. After a month of stagnant TV watching on the couch, eating like it's a second job, and motivation for absolutely nothing, I've run 4 times this week. I bought lamps at HomeGoods. I even ordered pictures from our Europe trip to put in the frames we bought last August from IKEA. Both our families are celebrating Thanksgiving at our house; that's my deadline for getting everything in order!!

By the time November 22nd comes I will:

*Paint both guest bedrooms
*Buy a bedframe for the mattress that's on the floor
*Put up art and frames that have been resting on the floor for a year and a half
*Recover the kitchen chairs and buy drapes
*Find random pieces of thrift store furniture that I can revamp
*Make guest bedroom look like this: 


I can do it!!!