Cereal

Anyone who knows me well, knows that cereal is one of my favorite foods to eat! These are my top faves:

Cinnamon Toast Crunch - I love cinnamony things! My favorite pieces are the ones that are puffed up like a pillow!

Marshmallow Fruit Loops - Anything with marshmallows is great! 

Waffle Crisp - This one is a real treat because Meijer is the only store that sells it, and not even allMeijer's sell it! FYI It doesn't even taste like waffles to me.

Apple Cinnamon Cheerios - Just because it has cheerios in the name, doesn't make it healthy! Again, I love cinnamon stuff!

Frosted Flakes - I never liked (or thought) this cereal until Clint always got it. Now I really love it...because it's grrrrreat!

I know, I know....no healthy choices at all. What can I say? I was raised on these cereals! Theya re all delicious and I eat at least one bowl of cereal a day..sometimes two!

Dusty

When I was really young and lived in California, we had several pets that I don't remember. Then when we moved to Indiana we got a big black lab named Elvis. However, we didn't have him that long because he always jumped the fence and chased people. That led us to give him away to a lady that had a large farm. Then we got Dusty!

I say that we "got" Dusty, but the truth is that our mother stole him from the neighbors. These neighbors had several pets that stayed outside and were neglected horribly. After we stole Dusty, they left their pets tied up and moved away. They came once a week with food and water until our other neighbors called animal control. They didn't even know that Dusty was gone for a few weeks. Mom then basically guilted them into letting us keep little Dusty Dog!

Dusty had a loving yet hard life. A punk kid down the street thought that it would be fun to play with a gun and shot Dusty in the back leg. A girl down the street found Dusty and brought him home to us covered in blood. Dad took one look at us three crying girls and took Dusty to the emergency vet. There he got a plate put in his leg so that he could walk.

After we moved in 2002, Dusty developed a really bad sinus problem. He was always sneezing and dripping snotty stuff. Then finally his poor leg started getting the best of him, not to mention that he was losing his sight and just seemed plain sad. We put him to sleep a few years ago so that he could be happy in puppy heaven.

Dusty was the best dog ever!! Zoe dreams about growing up to be just like him!

Play Room!

Warning: This post may seem kind of gross but let me reassure you that we did not live in a dirty home nor were we neglected children! Just weirdos!

not ours...but equally messy!

When Hilary and I were younger (maybe 8 or 9) we shared a bedroom and the other bedroom that was ours was just a toy room. Well, like most children we didn't like to clean up our toys. This particular situation must have been when I was around 9 because I think it was after my mom had moved out. We had a cute dog named Dusty when we were growing up. He was part golden retriever part cocker spaniel. He would go through bouts of having fleas. We would get rid of them for a while and then he would get them again. 

Somehow, we started getting fleas in our toy room. We had so many toys, blankets, and stuffed animals in this room, that the fleas must have just stuck to everything in there. As we started to notice more fleas, we started to stay out of the toy room more and more, all while keeping the door closed. We didn't tell dad about the situation, which is why it probably didn't get taken care of right away. Like I said, Hilary and I were quite weird when we were little. 

Whenever we wanted some toys out of the toy room, it was a fight who was going to run in and grab it. It finally got to the point that we had to run in there as fast as possible all while wearing sweats head to toe with soccer socks over the sweat pants so that we didn't get flea bites! Why did we do this?!?!

Finally Dad somehow found out about it and flea-bombed the room (and probably house). Then we had to clean the toy room. Who else went to such great lengths to avoid cleaning?

Bedtime

Zoe is a pretty decent sized dog. She now weighs 66 pounds (down from 70). Anyways, she has always been a dog that likes to cover up like she is cold. She is part boxer and part beagle, which are both breeds I don't know much about. I do know that she doesn't have a ton of fur. Her belly actually has almost no hair. So that might be why she is cold a lot. If she is sleeping on the couch or her futon, she sometimes will nudge the blankets until she gets herself covered. At night because she is spoiled she gets in bed with us and nudges the blankets. She then sleeps the rest of the night at the foot of the bed under the blankets. Warm as soup!

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Vacation!!

We finally booked a vacation! We had been going back and forth about taking a vacation for a while but finally decided to go for it! We are going to Isla Verde, Carolina-San Juan, Puerto Rico. Our 4th anniversary is in June so it will be nice to be on a beach to celebrate!

We will be staying at Hotel La Playa. We have a beach-view room with a king sized bed! 

If you know of fun things to do or must-see places, leave a comment!

Come Around Sundown

About a year and a half ago I started to really like the band Kings of Leon when they had their big hit "Use Somebody." I got the cd that song was on:

 I LOVE every song on this cd! Then, right before last Christmas, they released another cd:

I have had this cd in my cd player in my car for the last two weeks! I cannot pick a favorite off this cd because they all rock! 

ps - Lindsay, I don't care if you say this post is lame! I actually worked on it for a while because the video kept messing up!

Racquetball

Lindsay and I have been giong to the gym daily for a few months now. We started out just doing the treadmill; a combination of running/walking/gossiping. Then we started to do some swimming here and there to change it up. Then I asked her about playing racquetball. LA Fitness has several courts and theya re usually empty in the morning when we go (5:45am). So we set out one day and found some decent racquets at Target for under $15. 

At first we didn't really know much about the sport other than the rules listed on Wikipedia and from watching other people. Lindsay played tennis in school so she had a little bit of the movements down. I've played tennis lots of times with Lindsay or Clint but I have never been formally taught. You kind of just learn what to do and what works the more you play. We definitely aren't pros but we aren't too bad either. Now we usually play racquetball at least once a week. It's a nice change up in our workout routine and gives you a nice calorie burn. Not to mention I like adding to my winning record over Lindsay :)

LOL Cats

I have been a fan of LOL Cats since my mother introduced me to the website icanhascheezeburger.com a few years ago. I even have an awesome shirt from the website!

Here is a cute video of a cute kitty playing with bubblewrap!

 

Here are a few cute pictures:

You have to get used to the silly language some of the people use when writing about their kitties but it is cute nonetheless!

Calvin & Hobbes

Calvin & Hobbes is my favorite comic ever. Here are a few funny ones that I found.

Laundry

When Lindsay, Hilary, and I were younger we had to do laundry as one of our chores. With Hilary being the youngest, Lindsay and I pretty much had the natural ability to choose what we wanted to do and have Hilary do what we didn't want to do. Nothing personal, just natural birth order! :)

Anyways...does anyone like to match and fold socks? Anyone?? Didn't think so. It sucks.

So us three would take all the laundry, put it in baskets, and then dump it all in the middle of the family room. There would be a lot because we were lazy kids and hated doing laundry, which means it would pile up until dad forced us to do laundry. Once we dumped it on the floor, we would all start sorting. Hilary however was on sock duty. Boo. Lindsay and I would start throwing clothes into the correct piles all the while launching socks at Hilary. We would always throw them at her until she was covered! 

Finally, one day, she'd had enough. She completely lost her mind, and while completely covered in mismatched socks, she stood up and yelled "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!!"  Lindsay and I were pretty much petrified of the sock monster. I'd say we pretty much deserved it, but it was fun throwing socks too!

A Rhyming Poem About My Car

Oh little red car

You drive me so far

With your little stick shift

In the winter I drift

Into a pile of snow.

With my black window

I hope I don't go

Into a hole

or another light pole

And dent up my cute little car.

Lisa Frank

 

When I was younger, about 3rd grade or so I was OBSESSED with anything Lisa Frank. I would hope that everyone would know who or what Lisa Frank is, but for those less fortunate, I'll explain. Lisa Frank is a lady that created a business named Lisa Frank. She has different products that include brightly colored designs with lots of purple and rainbows. She makes stickers, folders, pencils, binders, notebooks, etc.

Of course, I had folders with all these designs when I was younger; not to mention pages and pages of stickers!!

There is also a magazine that comes out four times a year with all her merchandise, including, blankets, comforters, pillows, shirts, socks, and curtains. Basically everything you could possibly ever dream of owning, covered in Lisa Frank designs.

I was so obsessed with Lisa Frank that I devised a plan to steal a check from my dad's checkbook to buy a huge amount of merchandise. I did have the cash saved up, Dad just wouldn't let me get anything. I ended up being too chicken. I had everything filled out. I just couldn't pull the rainbow trigger. Too bad huh?

I found another blog that reminisces of the great time of Lisa Frank here.

Taser

Several years ago Clint and Mike would go bowling in Brownsburg (almost) every week. One night they decided to play some pool. There was a group of guys playing that we didn't know. Somehow all the guys started chatting and we found out they had a taser. Why? I don't know! Anyways, Clint decided that it would be fun to get tased. He let some random stranger with an unknown "taser" tase him! Clint is so weird! For the record he said that getting shocked at work was worse than getting tased.

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Holidays

There are lots of holidays in a year. One reason I like holidays is because they usually mean a day off work :) Here are my favorite holidays:

 My birthday! Ok...this isn't a holiday but it SHOULD be! Who doesn't like their birthday? When you are little you have birthday parties and lots of presents but now that I am old(er) it is still just as fun to hang out with friends and family!

Memorial Day/Labor Day - You might wonder why I pick these?? These two holidays, while not glamorous or anything (while still valuable!), provide two perfect weekends for camping! They can be great weekends weather-wise (or not!) but another opportunity for friends and family get togethers!  

 Halloween - This was always fun were you were little and got to go trick-or-treating. Then it was fun when you were a little older because you went to parties but still got to dress up. Well, I still like to do that part! I also like when the cute little trick-or-treaters come for candy!

Christmas - Everyone loves Christmas! Family time is always great because that means game nights!! Presents are also always fun...giving and receiving!

Record!

Last year I blogged a total of 16 times! This marks my 17th blog for 2011! I have already beaten last years number and it is only January. It has been pretty easy blogging everyday so far since my 100 days of blogging pledge. A couple times I have written two blogs at once so I wouldn't have to do it the next day. Yesterday was really the first night I almost forgot and that is because I am pretty sick :( Stinking kiddos gave me their germs and fever!

Anyways, here's to another 83 blogs in a row!

Time Test

So do you remember those timed tests you had to take back in elementary? It probably started with addition and then moved to subtraction and on with multiplication and then division. Well, Clint likes to boast about his math skills. I always have told him that I am better at math. Well a while back I had some extra addition time test sheets. It was the perfect setting for a challenge!

I beat him the first time by 9 problems and yesterday he wanted a rematch. I had to prove to him again that I am the champion! I only beat him by 8 problems this time so I guess he had been practicing all this time. Better luck next time chump!

Desk Fairy

Usually I have my students clean out their desks every few weeks. I have several students that naturally keep their desks very neat but most 1st grade students need to be taught how to be neat. We usually clean out our desks one step at a time. For example, I have the students start with everything on top of their desk so they can clean out little bits of trash, crayons, glue, etc. Then we all put our math books in, then our reading books, and so on until we have just the ketchup folder and art box left. We clean out our art boxes so that they don't have 15 pencils in them (we have communal pencils that I sharpen every week) or other random trash. Then we clean out our ketchup folders. I have them put work in their ketchup folder that didn't get done but wasn't extremely important or graded. I tell them what things should be in their folder and anything extra they have can be taken home to be finished or it can be recycled. 

Now, they all know the procedure and can clean their desks on their own. They are getting way better at keeping their desks more clean in general. Friday when they were cleaning their desks I mentioned that the desk fairy might visit sometime soon. I have mentioned "her" before and "she" has left gold tickets in clean desks already. However, they all heard this announcement and for some reason they all went crazy. I then had a little discussion going between a few boys and whether or not Mrs. Reed was the desk fairy. One student asked me if the desk fairy was real and I said "Of course!" Another student said that it was just me. I told them that the desk fairy only comes on the weekends and I am not at school then so of course she was real! The 2nd student asked "So if I look in the window during the weekend when no one is here, I'll see a little fairy lady flying around?" I said yep!

Five Things in The Freezer

 I found this post on my blog generator and thought I might as well share what is in our freezer now that you know what is in our fridge!

Waffles - Clint eats three waffles with peanut butter and syrup almost every morning. I am talking like 27 out of 31 days! I like waffles but everyday is nonsense!

Soft Pretzels - I love soft  pretzels! I use to think that it was a special treat when you went to a sporting event! Once I found out that you could actually buy them at the grocery store, my life changed.

Pizza - Who doesn't have pizza in the freezer?? Digiorno is my absolute favorite but it is a little pricey which makes it a special treat. It is definitely worth it though. We do however have several other types of pizza: Kroger brand party pizzas, Tombstone, and Jacks. Pretty much only cheese though.

Plastic Ice Cubes - Not a food item, but an important item nonetheless. I hate ice cubes because it waters down your drink. I would rather drink a warm drink than a watered down one. These are the best! All the clear plastic ones are now gone though because people have poured them in the sink because they look real. Then the garbage disposal chews them and swallows them for dinner.

Corn Dogs - How can I forget one of my favorite foods? I have loved corn dogs since I first laid eyes on them. State Fair corn dogs top the list. Mug n Bun corn dogs are also quite delish!

Well, there you have it! The top 5 items in our fridge and freezer. I promise I won't post about my underwear drawer next.

Dad's Secret Language

When I was little Dad use to tell us lots of things that included words we didn't yet know. For example, Hilary and I would always go and play in the big ditch that was across the street from our house. For the longest time he would yell at us for doing that usually by sticking his head out the back door and yelling "Stay out of the culvert!" Hilary and I would always yell back "Ok!" and then go back to playing because we didn't know what that meant. This continued for years probably. It wasn't til later that we learned that the culvert was the concrete part of the ditch that is kind of like a drain. 

Another example was when I was playing softball when I was about 9 or 10. I was a pitcher and I would get a few really big hits off of me and Dad would say "Stop lobbing the ball!" I would again say "Ok!" Finally after he had been yelling that at me forever, I said "I don't know what that means!" Duh!

Even one more example is when Dad would have me help him make spaghetti. He would tell me to get the colander out to drain the noodles. However, I did not know what the heck he was talking about. Instead of explaining though, he usually bit our heads off because we didn't have this background knowledge.

BFF Sisters

My sister Lindsay and I hang out A LOT because we are BFFs. Anywho, we were driving around shopping and running errands one day when I drove past a roadside memorial. I asked my sister, "If I died in a car crash, would you set up a roadside memorial for me?" She gave me the weirdest look like that was an inappropriate question! Sisters need to know this type of thing! Anyways, she said that she wouldn't. I asked her if she wanted one in case it happened to her and thankfully she said no too. I am not making fun of roadside memorials or dissing them, but they just aren't our style (or Clint's either because we asked him). That is why we are BFF sisters. 

When Hilary was in town for the holidays, us three sistos were driving around and I sprung the question on Hils too. She was so surprised at the (odd) question too! She said "I guess...?" But we reassured her that they were not in our plans.

“There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.”

 Tonight Mitch Daniels gave his State of the State report. I didn't watch it but read the cliff notes on it. He has decided that education is one of his top priorities before he finally leaves. 

"Daniels wants changes for teachers, including changes to collective bargaining to give superintendents more flexibility and also to reward the best teachers while clearing the way to fire the worst. “We know what works,” Daniels said. “It starts with teacher quality. Teacher quality has been found to be 20 times more important than any other factor, including poverty, in determining which kids succeed. Class size, by comparison, is virtually meaningless. Put a great teacher in front of a large class, and you can expect good results.”

Really?? Class size doesn't matter at all? Have you ever taught a class of 40 or more? I did a maternity leave in a 3rd grade room that had 39 kids, where around 8 were ENL students. I am sure I was the best teacher I could have been when I hardly even had room for all my kids! Not to mention that Mitch acts like he is an expert on education. When did he ever teach?? Try teaching 40 first graders for a whole year and see if class size is virtually meaningless.

I love how Mitch and Tony Bennett love to say how there are so many teachers that need to be fired. How did every teacher so suddenly become a bad teacher just because they say so? I am not saying that every teacher is golden but get real.

Five Things in The Refrigerator

My dear sister Lindsay directed me to a good website called Imagination Prompt Generator, which is pretty self-explanatory. Anywhoodles, this was the topic I stopped on.

Obviously we have way more than five things in our refridgerator but I will pick five good things to share:

 

 1. Blogna!! I love bologna and cheese sandwiches. I used to love blogna just by itself when I was little (in addition to cold hot dogs!). When I was around 7 - 8, I would always bite little holes in my bologna slice and make faces through it. One fine day I was tipping in my chair in the kitchen and totally bit the dust and landed with my bologna stuck to my face while I cried and Lindsay laughed.

2. Orange Juice. This is my favorite beverage :) I love Tropicana, Extra Calcium, PULP FREE! I do not want to chew my OJ, so don't get me no stinking pulpy orange juice!

3. Milk. Right now we have 3.25 gallons in our fridge. Yes, you read that correctly. 3.25 gallons! I however do not use milk for anything other than my favorite meal cereal. Clint drinks it like it's going out of style. He can seriously drink 3 gallons a week! Guuuh-ross.

4. Cinnamon Rolls. Growing up dad would make the Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls on Saturday mornings and Hilary and I would watch cartoons or play while we ate our breakfast. Deeelish!

5. Pizza Sauce. This key ingredient is for my mom's specialty: French Bread Pizza! Mom used to make this allll the time! It is definately a family favorite!