Happy Leap Day!

if i could just get this fellow to wink, he'd be perfect

Do You Have Friends At Work?

This morning on the way to work, I heard an interesting interview on NPR. The person being interviewed was a doctoral candidate at the Ross School of Business in Michigan who has done research on how "chummy" we are in the workplace.

Apparently, we aren't as chummy as we used to be.

Americans, that is.

According to the researcher, 50% of Americans had someone close (a friend) at work....... in 1985!! Today, only 30% of Americans have people they consider 'friends' at their place of employment.

In a new position at a new school this year, my eyes have been opened to the realities of this phenomenon. I find myself to be one of those people- without close friends at work.

And it changes everything.

I guess I never realized how lucky I was in the past. At my former places of employment, I developed very close friendships with many people. So much so that (both here and in Virginia) I ended up becoming roommates with more than one person that I worked with.

Perhaps being single without family nearby lends itself to finding and developing "family" in other places- church, work, etc. But, many of the close friends that I have made at work were married and did have their own families nearby. They had friends at work.

In other countries, things are a little different. In Poland, 74% of a person's network of friends emerges from the workplace. In India, the number rises to 78%. Interestingly enough, Indians have spent at least one vacation with 45% of their coworkers. That means many Indians have vacationed with almost half of the people they work with! They like each other so much that they choose to be with those people during their treasured outside-of-work hours!

This interview reminded me of a vacation I took with my coworkers. A bunch of girls from my former school here in Colorado decided to go to Las Vegas for part of Spring Break one year. My former coworker (and former roommate, and also a bridesmaid in my wedding) from Virginia, Dede, met us there! We had such a great time! I found myself rummaging through pictures this evening so I could relive that vacation.

I hope this brings back memories for some of you- my friends from work- out there, as well!











las vegas
spring, 2004
shera, kelly, marika, dede, amy, staci, erin, april, molly

Spoiled

Being sick certainly had it's perks (not that I want to do it again any time soon)!

Nathan was a trooper! He waited on me hand and foot. He went to the grocery store to get orange juice, chicken noodle soup, and medicine. He called from work to check on me. He got up with me at night when I was coughing so hard I could hardly catch my breath. When I could eat again, he would bring me crackers and he even rubbed my back. What a sweetie.

Nathan's parents have been great, too! Over the weekend, Nathan's dad brought us a tasty roast and then, last night, his mom sent over a cheesy potato and ham casserole. YUMmy!

I almost don't want to admit that I'm feeling better!

Quote of the Day: Telling It Like It Is

Me (introducing the vocabulary word to first graders): "This word is young, /y/ /u/ /ng/. What is the opposite of young?"

Iris: "old!"

Me: "Exactly! Good job. Now, who at this table is young?"

Iris: "We are!"

Diego (triumphantly): "And you are old!"

Still Sick.

I went to work today and walked around in a fog of my own sickness. The energy I had bottled up safely inside me, saved from all of yesterday's restful sofa slumber, had disappeared by lunch time.

I walked into the cafeteria for my duty and began wandering aimlessly between the metal cafeteria tables. With the ketchup bottle clutched in my right hand, I barely noticed the waving arms of students who were frantically trying to capture my attention (or perhaps just the bottle of tomato-y condiment I was relinquishing unknowingly). Instead, I watched dully as one third grader peeled the skin off a grape with his teeth. Oblivious, I stepped right into a puddle on the cafeteria floor while, right in front of me, a boy carrying the yellow CAUTION sign waited patiently for me to move out of the way so he could place the warning over the mess.

The second hand on the clock in the cafeteria paused for excruciatingly long increments before grudgingly tripping itself into the next minute...... 12:08...... 12:09....... A warmth crawled over my skin, my legs began to feel like jelly, a single drop of sweat puckered onto my hairline, the world teetered...

I slowly sunk to the long metal bench in front of one of the tables.

"Sitting down on the job, are we?" a voice emerged from the cafeteria chaos.

I blinked.

(Three more hours, three more hours, three more hours...)

Literacy Corner Quote: 02/26/08

"Children are made readers on the laps of their parents."

-Emilie Buchwald

(We Both Read books are great resource to help parents read with their children.)

Quote of the Day

LT: How's married life?

Nathan (his typical response): Oh, I think it's going to be all right!

LT: It's what you make of it, isn't it?

Nathan: Yeah, it is.

LT: It's what you make of it. I should know, I'm on my fifth wife!

A Mother's Comfort

No matter how old I get and no matter how great my husband is about taking care of me (and he has been really great), when I am sick, I just want my MOM!

It's true. Nobody can take her place.

She knows when to remind me to take more medicine. She knows when to rub my head. She knows when I need another blanket. She knows exactly what food I'll be able to eat. She knows when to tell me to 'suck it up'! She doesn't even know that she knows so much!

I think about my friends out there who are moms and ponder the comfort they give their babies now. Last Tuesday, I was at Shera's, holding baby Drew for her while she got dinner started. He wasn't happy again until he was in his mom's arms. My friend, Erin, just had her brand new baby girl this past weekend and that baby is probably bonding with "mommy" right now! Danica's special little boys have their strong mom to turn to whenever they get sad. One day, those "babies" won't be living at home anymore, but when they are sick, there's a good chance that it will be only mom who can provide the right kind of comfort.

What an important job you have!

Thanks, Mom. (Now, if you could just move to Colorado Springs....)

Welcome to the world, Natalie Elizabeth Deylius!

We are so lucky to have you with us!

Sick.

Me
+ one high fever
+ two achy legs
+ a pounding headache
+ one sore throat
+ a relentless cough
+ a nose that can't decide if it wants to be runny or stuffed up
_____________________________________________
= Me with the flu

Me with the flu
- movie night with Nathan
- enjoying the sunny weather
- teaching Sunday School to the jr. high class
- all previous excitement for the Oscars
(+ debating which would be easier: writing sub plans and skipping out on the staff development I am supposed to lead or just going to work tomorrow and fulfilling my obligations, complete with fever and raw throat)
__________________________________________________
= Worst. Weekend. Ever.

200 Books in 2008

She lives in Boise.

She loves to read.

She is the mother of a newborn... and a toddler.

She owns a bookstore/coffeeshop with her husband.

She is attempting to read 200 classics in the year 2008.

See for yourself.

I am completely inspired!

A Pondering Proctor

The children were so very well prepared
But still they came to school frightfully scared.
In their tiny little boots, they quivered and quaked
While they secretly wondered, “Did I go to bed too late?”

From wall to wall the school was a zoo
This way and that, teachers scrambled and flew
Mumbling… “Where’s the coffee for the proctor?”
Whispering… “Gawd, why didn’t I become a doctor?”

Then… suddenly… the school became veeerrrry quiet
(Just like the calm after a riot)
In room after room little heads bent over desks
While teachers were carefully monitoring tests.

Echoing in the minds of the babies who worked.
Were instructions from teachers who by their desks lurked.
“DON’T TURN THE PAGE!” they had muttered in fear.
“CHECK OVER YOUR ANSWERS! OH DEAR, OH DEAR!”

The crack of a pencil- Oh me, Oh my!
“Can I ask for another?” the child thinks with a sigh.
A running of nose, a weakness of bladder-
“Can we handle these little things that really do matter?”

Teachers and students alike were afraid
To make a wrong move or let thoughts go astray
This test is important- we cannot deny
To keep our jobs, on this test we rely!

Good intentions are nice, hard work is a plus
But if you don’t do it right, you can go catch a bus.
For OBVIOUSLY if the kids get this wrong
You haven’t been doing your job all year long.

So, careful with the test books, don’t leave them alone!
We all know how much these teachers are prone…
To wrecking and ruining and making a mess
Of this- the big, important STANDARDIZED TEST.

If these tests aren't administered EXACTLY the same
There'll be pointing of fingers and casting of blame.
Students are tested so they don't get "Left Behind"
But, who’s doing the learning in the meantime?

Words of Wisdumb

"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.” -George W. Bush

Quote of the Day

Today, we were reading a book about a Native American tribe following a herd of buffalo. The men would be going on a buffalo hunt and, early in the book, they were "preparing for the long journey ahead."

"What do you think the people of the tribe are going to do in order to prepare for their journey?" I asked.

"Well, they need to put out their fires, pack up their teepees, and get their ammo ready!" responded Shana.

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

-illustrated by Henry Cole-

This true story about two penguins who live in the Central Park Zoo has been creating quite a controversy. I heard about the book this morning on The View (yes, I do inevitably end up watching four women squabbling on tv when I don't have to work, and controversies like this are the reason I keep going back!). After hearing about it, I just had to check out the book for myself at Barnes and Noble.

This children's book tells the story of Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins. Like all other chinstrap penguin couples in the Central Park Zoo, Roy and Silo play together, swim together, and even build a nest together. They watch as the other penguin couples lay eggs and have baby penguins. They even "adopt" a rock and sit on it, hoping for a baby. After observing this behavior, their zookeeper, Rob, takes an extra egg from a male/female penguin couple (a couple who have proven in the past to be unable to care for two eggs at once) and gives it to Roy and Silo. They care for and love the egg, just as any other penguin couple, and soon it hatches and Tango joins their family. This family of penguins are still living in the Central Park Zoo today.

Even though this is an account of a true animal story, there are school districts and parents around the country who are protesting this book and having it banned from school libraries due to the nature of the penguin's relationship in the book.

I know this is a touchy subject for a lot of people, but I just have to ask....

Is it the repressed sexual energy of the penguins that is causing them to behave this way? Could it be the result of feelings of inadequacy based on the rigid gender roles of chinstrap penguins? Is there possible abuse in these penguin's past? Is it a predisposition towards homosexuality caused by genetic make-up? Is it "just a phase"?

OR... has the homosexual agenda finally infiltrated our beloved zoos?

Bad Week for... Priorities

A Florida woman was pulled over allegedly with a 24-pack of beer strapped into a seat belt, so it wouldn't be jostled, while a 16-month-old girl was unrestrained in the back seat. -The Week

What Memories Remain by Cait London

Life in the quiet community of Fairy Cove is disrupted when Ewan Lochlain returns to solve the mystery of his parents' watery deaths. His family tragedy is closely linked to childhood friend, Cyd Callahan's, lost memories of a similar shocking event. Together with Ewan's sister, Hallie, they strive to fight against the community control held by Ewan and Hallie's aunt Angela in this small town as they attempt to dig up secrets of the past and reveal the truth that will clear the Lochlain name.

There is no better evening than one in which I am curled on the couch with a cup of tea reading a novel that scares the bejeezus out of me! This was not that novel. I picked up this discarded paperback at work, and I really shouldn't have bothered. Despite it's status as a suspense novel (which I usually love), it was difficult to find any redeeming qualities about this book. Chocked full of awkward sentences, inconsistencies, and typos, this book made me feel frustrated more than anything else. Bumbling sentences such as "And I knew what she would do-or cause done-to you" and "His well-pleased with himself and life expression was almost boyish" made reading this novel almost painful. In a town where everybody speaks "unevenly" and everything that is said "nettles," I found it extremely difficult to care about the characters or their quest to solve a twenty-year-old murder, especially when the same things were repeated over and over and over again. And the continual references to fairies and gnomes in this novel is not clever in the way the author seems to think. Even the blurb about Cait London on the back cover is poorly written.

When I finally closed the last page with a sigh of relief last night, I had to resist the urge to build a fire to throw this book into so I could watch with satisfaction while it burned to a crisp. Next time I see a Cait London novel, I'll brush it aside, choosing instead to spend a couple of hours in front of a Lifetime movie. For now, it's on to bigger and better reads.

Sisters

When sisters stand shoulder to shoulder, who stands a chance against us? ~Pam Brown

The Love in Our House

Valentine's day was lovely at our house. I got out of my afternoon work meeting a full hour early (that never happens)! So, I was able to come home and straighten up the house before Nathan arrived home from work. We had decided that, for our first Valentine's day as a married couple, we would stay home and break out the fondue pot that we received as a wedding present. This was the very first time we have used it. Once Nathan arrived, we started with cheese fondue. We got a package of ready-to-go fondue from the grocery store, so it was pretty easy. We dipped bread, tomato, and olives in the cheesy goodness and it was tasty!

We had decided that we wanted to put more effort into the chocolate fondue dessert so we actually followed a simple recipe for that part of the meal. With strawberries, bananas, angel food cake (my fave!), and marshmallows, it was SOOOO heavenly! The only problem- the recipe made too much and we couldn't eat it all. SO... some of the chocolate got dumped at the end. We couldn't figure out what else to do with it. What a waste!

The evening concluded with Nathan singing a song he'd written about me. It was very sweet! Being married to a musician definitely has its perks! :)

Valentine's Day certainly was romantic around here, but I'm afraid the real love in our house flows between my cat and my husband. Chloey simply adores Nathan. And I'm really not exaggerating! Once upon a life before Nathan, Chloey would actually pick her rear end up off the couch to greet me when I arrived home from work (granted she was usually just anxious to be fed). But these days, her four legs stay planted in my recliner until she hears Nathan pull into the driveway. I believe she waits just as anxiously as I do for Nathan to come home each night, because when the faint crunching sound of Nathan's tires finally drifts through the house, Chloey's ears immediately perk up and she emerges from a dead-to-the-world slumber (otherwise known as 'maybe if I ignore Marika she'll leave me alone' sleep) to bound cheerfully, ears perked and tail wagging, to the back door. Nathan can barely get into the house before Chloey is practically climbing up the side of his leg, mewing pathetically. And she will spend the rest of the evening following him uselessly around the house, never letting him wander far from her sight.

I blame Nathan for this.

He does these ridiculous things like pulling ribbon around the house just so Chloey can chase it and scratching behind her ears for minutes on end... just to make me look bad. He even spends time cuddling with her. Brown-noser.

cuddling

following around pathetically

I know Chloey is hoping for a Valentine's day alone with Nathan next year. (She probably wants her own song, too!)

Shakin' Things Up!

This morning I went into a kindergarten class to pick up my group of kiddos. I work with this same group of kids every single morning. Nevertheless, Jose looks up at me and asks, "Who are you?"

I walk into Miss Louder's first grade class and Jesse immediately points to to my face and erupts into giggles.

In the lunchroom, Sammy tells me that I could be a twin of Marcus, the spectacled African American boy with two missing teeth who was sitting across from him at the cafeteria table.

I never knew that wearing my glasses to work would create such a ruckus. I guess I had better wait until summer to cut my hair!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I think this child understands more about love than many adults:

_____________________________

The Cinderella Tree

from Somebody Else's Nut Tree and other Tales From Children

by Ruth Krauss

Once upon a long time ago, a Mr. and Mrs. Tree had a tree-baby.

"It's a girl!" they cried.

"And so delightfully different!" Mrs. Tree observed, bending over her little one. "We must name her a name as lovely and unusual as herself."

"We should maybe wait," Mr. Tree put in, "and see how she develops."

"Hunh!" a neighbor-tree whispered. "She certainly is different."

And "Hunh!" another neighbor whispered back. "Different is right! Prickly, I'd call it."

Now, time passed and the little one's first spring came. And, it happens, there was a fine Prince out wanting to be wooing, who seeing the forests so filled with the green of budding tree-girls, said to himself, said he, "I should take my time loving because a wedding is for keeps." So, all spring he took his time loving. The air was light and sweet.

He loved a fresh full maple tree. He loved a pale white dogwood.

He loved a weeping willow. He loved a fat and blooming apple.

Summer came. All summer he took his time loving.

He loved a thin tall poplar. He loved a spreading chestnut tree.

"I am right to take my time loving," he said. "So many beautiful tree-girls! And a wedding is for keeps."

Autumn came. And the trees grew more beautiful even than before. The wood was wild with yellows and reds and purples. All autumn the Prince took his time loving.

Winter came. And then, on the branches of the beautiful tree-lasses, the leaves of yellow and red and purple, the leaves that had once been green, shriveled and fell. The trees were bare. The trees were bleak. "I sure was right!" the Prince cried, "to take my time loving. Look, oh look, at the beauties now. I want a steady. Not one to come and go."

And then, before him suddenly, he saw a bright and shiny young green thing, lovelier still among the dark ruins of his loves gone by.

"How beautiful you are!" he cried. "Who are you? For surely I never saw the like before! You are the one I would wed, if thou wilt have me. I took my time to find you, because a wedding is for keeps."

The young green tree just stood there. She gave no answer because she had no name to give.

"Speak to me," the Prince begged. "Tell me yes."

Then, "Yes," the little tree whispered. "But I cannot tell you my name."

At this moment her mother and father spoke out, calling, "Now we know your name, our little one. Your name is Evergreen. We name you Evergreen."

So the little tree told her Prince, "My name is Evergreen and yes, I said yes. I will thee wed."

And so they were. And their wedding was for keeps.

And all the children took after their mother, and their children's children, and their children's children's children, right down to now.

And this is how young Evergreen brought happiness to herself, because surely it is happiness to marry your Prince. And she brought happiness to her Prince, because surely it is happiness to marry a happy girl. And she brought happiness to her mother and father, because now they had a protector with a shining sword. And happiness to us she brought, for all the steadfast trees of winter standing green and lovelier still among the goneby leaves of the year, now deep in the sleeping earth.

Just Doing My Job...

Adorable third grader (while reading): "...one of the youngest generals in the Silver War... it was after the Silver War that he.... during the Silver War, a young runaway... served Palmer through the Silver War..."

Me (a bit reluctantly): "Umm... I think the war you are referring to is actually known as the Civil War."

(I say tomayto, you say tomahto...)

Quote of the Day

"Does anybody know what the world 'bold' means?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's when you don't have any hair!" said Emily.

Mushroom Bacon Green Beans

I received a request for this recipe after mentioning that it tastes great with the homemade macaroni and cheese. (I posted that recipe a few days ago.) Here it is... Enjoy!

Mushroom Bacon Green Beans (6 servings)
2 (10 oz) pkgs frozen cut green beans
4 slices bacon
1 medium onion (I never put that much in!), chopped
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

1. Cook green beans according to pkg directions.
2. While green beans are cooking, cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon, reserving one tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside.
3. Add onion and mushrooms to drippings, cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly until tender.
4. Add beans, salt and pepper, cook until thoroughly heated.
5. Spoon bean mixture into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with bacon.

Literacy Corner Statistic: 02/12/08

50% of American adults are unable to read an eighth grade level book.
-The National Center for Education Statistics

Josh's Birthday

Yesterday we spent the day in Loveland celebrating with Nathan's dad's family. Nathan's second cousin turned two and his mom, Sarah (Nathan's cousin), threw a great party with a SpongeBob theme! We celebrated by eating tasty bratwurst and hamburgers, shooting rocket balloons across the living room (laughing hilariously as they farted to a stop in midair and then fluttered to the ground), and watching the birthday boy open presents that rivaled his two-year-old body in size. As you can clearly see in the picture, Josh's favorite gift was a sharp-looking brown leather jacket. He was overjoyed when his doting relatives forced him to don his new attire and pose like a miniature version of Nathan! After eating tasty SpongeBob cake, Nathan gave another second cousin, Kelsey, a quick guitar lesson. She received a shiny red electric guitar for Christmas and has grand aspirations for becoming the next Hannah Montana rock 'n' roll superstar! The party culminated with the kiddos pulling the strings off a SpongeBob pinata. The birthday boy pulled the lucky string that brought the candy to the floor!

Thanks for this, Dede!

Don't send a lame eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant...

An elephant's faithful- one hundred per cent!"

-Theodor Seuss Geisel, Horton Hatches an Egg

Water for Elephants is a novel set against the gritty and hard luck life of an old-time train circus. The main character, Jacob Jankowski, is a cranky misunderstood old man ("...ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other.") living in a nursing home when the circus comes to town. As the old man anxiously awaits the arrival of his family to take him to visit the circus, he remembers his own days working as a vetrinarian for Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. The story jumps from the present as Mr. Jankowski is cared for by a kind nurse, to the summer of 1931- the summer his life shattered around him and, in blind desperation, he fled... into the unforgiving life of a traveling circus.

I must admit that, despite it's status as a #1 New York Times Bestseller, I approached this novel with some hesitation. I wasn't necessarily excited to read about a boy who joins the circus but I was pleasantly surprised! This book was absolutely mesmerizing and completely fulfilling. I was hooked the minute I finished the prologue. Sara Gruen captures the fascinating, magical circus excitement with such crystal clear perfection that you can practically smell the tang of cotton candy intermingled with the sharp pungent smell of animals. Through her description and with the help of black and white photographs preceding each chapter, you are transported to the 1930's circus scene as you turn the pages of this book. You can practically see the clowns passing out peanuts and watch as the elephant steals hats off the passing "rubes" (townspeople). But the delightful snippets of circus happiness are just a fading facade in contrast to the deceit, mayhem, and murder that happens behind the scenes. And you can definitely see (and feel) the horror that begins to unfold in the pages of this book...

I was so immersed in this novel that I felt as though I were wrapped up in the circus life with Jacob Jankowski and, at the most critical moments of anticipation, I found myself gritting my teeth and resisting the urge to look ahead to see what would happen next. I spent entire chapters holding my breath anxiously as his story played out. And I wasn't disappointed.

But, boy, was I surprised!

The end of this book left me with my mouth hanging open, and my eyes wide with wonder. When I finally closed the book, it was with triumphant satisfaction. I felt that no book had ever concluded more appropriately. I would highly recommend this book to anybody. But, if you have anything important to accomplish over the next 24 hours, you might want to wait. Like my friend, Shera, you just might be unable to put it down, and find yourself finishing it the day after you get it! It's that good.

Lunch This Month

Normally, I meet with my friends from Springs Ranch Elementary each month for supper. This month we met for lunch at Panera. We always have wonderful conversation, and end up lingering for much longer than expected! This month was no different. Here are some snapshots.

Shannon, Marika, Shera Amber and Raquel
The chair for Danica

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

Having trouble deciding what to make for supper? Try this recipe for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese. I got this recipe from a co-worker in Virginia and it has been a favorite ever since. It's one of my comfort foods, and it's so easy to make! Mine's in the oven right now...

macaroni noodles (approx. 2 cups)
2 cups cottage cheese (small curd)
1 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
8 oz. cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp. salt
pepper (to taste)
paprika (on top)

Cook macaroni, drain. Combine all other ingredients, add macaroni and mix until well coated. Sprinkle additional cheese on top if desired. Spread into 9x9x2 baking dish, sprinkle with some paprika and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

It tastes delicious with Mushroom Bacon Green Beans. Mmmmmm.......

In Honor of Black History Month...

I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
-Langston Hughes

Let us celebrate the beauty of every person in our nation and in the world.

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

I love to cook.

I hate my kitchen.

Tonight, my hatred for my kitchen overpowered my love for cooking. After...
...slicing my thumb while cutting onions
...opening the lid of the pan to find the rice watery
...burning my fingers on the stove (which caused a few moments of tears in the bathroom over the Neosporin tube)
...ripping off my fuzzy purple sweater and throwing it on the living room sofa in frustration as I felt the heat in the kitchen suffocating me
....burning the carrots (how hard is it to cook carrots?!?!)
I was in no mood to EVER make another meal!

As I calmly handed Nathan his dinner plate, I told him that my blood, sweat, and tears went into this dinner, so if he didn't like it, he'd better FAKE IT!

Mustang

There was a bit of a snowstorm last night (No, I didn't get a snow day or a delay, but somehow I survived). Nathan drove me to work this morning. He's much calmer driving on the snow and ice than I am, despite having me in the passenger seat next to him, with a steel grip on his arm, yelling through clenched teeth, "Slow down... slow down..... I said SLOOOOW DOOOOOWN!!!"

As we were getting closer to the school, the yellow school buses began appearing on the roads. One was driving just behind us as we approached a stoplight. A very smart owner of a very red Mustang decided, in what I can only assume was a moment of brilliance, to go ahead and pull out of a parking lot RIGHT IN FRONT of the school bus, completely cutting him off as the bus driver was slowing down for the light. I guess he figured if he didn't get in front of the school bus, he would be stuck driving at speeds (like the speed limit) that are simply unacceptable for a Mustang.

After a short wait, the light turned green. As I watched from the mirror on the passenger side of the car, the Mustang tried to pull itself forward. The back wheels spun and spun against the ice while the front of the car slid closer and closer to the curb of the road. The Mustang was unable to gain any traction on the ice. The school bus driver waited patiently for the car to slide out of his way and then calmly drove around him. The Mustang became a small red dot in the rear view mirror as we continued on our way.

"Oh look," Nathan said, " the pretty red Mustang got schooled by the ugly yellow bus!"

Literacy Corner Statistic: 02/05/08

In 1999, only 53 percent of children aged 3 to 5 were read to daily by a family member. Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read aloud to everyday than are children in families with incomes at or above the poverty line.
-The National Center for Education Statistics

Lessons

Nathan has been giving me an education on the rules of 'wife'dom. Apparently, just below "love husband for who he is" comes... "never check amount of money husband spends on iTunes."

Our Favorite Part of Super Bowl XLII...

Sunday Morning Tension

What is it about Sunday mornings? You can live a week of tranquility with your spouse or significant other and once Sunday morning arrives, something is bound to start festering.

This morning it was an argument about Sub sandwiches.

Ridiculous, I know.

Nathan was the bigger person and attempted to break the tension in the car on the way to church by reminding me of a theory he'd heard. With a sly smile, he recalled that Sunday mornings are supposedly prime for arguments because the devil is at work trying to keep you from being worshipful.

He continued, "I guess the devil really doesn't need a lot of help. Getting up early, dressing in nice clothes, and getting out of the house on any morning is enough to put anybody in a bad mood!"

We sat in contemplative silence for a minute, as we couldn't help but consider the possible ways we were allowing Satan to spoil our Sunday mornings.

After the pause, Nathan got in his final dig...

"You're letting the devil win this morning!"

Groundhog's Day

Six more weeks of winter....
Sigh.

February Brunch Bunch

Today was the monthly "brunch bunch" weekend, and I hosted. It was fun to have people over to our house and it made me excited to have more of our friends over soon! We had a nice time visiting and being entertained by the three babies (all boys)! There was discussion concerning jobs, vacations (Tammy gets to go to Hawaii in March, lucky girl!), furniture and window treatments, scrapbooking, and even some talk of how babies compare to mules! :) Thanks to those who braved the crazy weather to make it to Colorado Springs! Here are some highlights (including the recipes at the bottom)...

The three boys....

The whole group...

And my personal favorite....

__________________________________

Cheesy Egg Casserole

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. butter, melted

4 eggs, beaten

1 c. cottage cheese

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained

2 c. (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 (4 oz.) jar whole pimientos

green pepper

Combine flour, salt, and butter in a large bowl. Add next 4 ingredients, mix well. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 10x6x2 baking dish (I used a typical square baking dish). Garnish with pimiento and green pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

(Oh, by the way, Lisa, it wasn't your mom's recipe in Tastes for all Seasons, it was Kay's. No wonder your mom never made it!)

____________________________________________________

Gooey Buns

Place 20 frozen Rhodes rolls in a greased bundt pan. Mix the following together and sprinkle over rolls:

1 pkg. (small) regular vanilla pudding mix

1 cup brown sugar

Mix and pour over pudding mixture and rolls:

1/2 c. melted butter

2-3 tsp. cinnamon

Raisins and nuts.

Cover with wet towel and let stand overnight. In the morning bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.