Will and Amy

Yesterday's agenda...

-Watch bobbleheads' (5th & 6th graders) football game
-Hit up the farmer's market for apples, plums, peppers, onions, beets (2 kinds), parsnips, and a snack of smoked cheese and sausage.
-Appetizer and Mac & Jacks on the patio at Budd Bay Cafe...Yes, there was sun!
-Mall, Costco, etc. (just your run of the mill errand running).
-Lattin's Cider Mill for fresh spiced cider and apple fritters.
-More errands (Lowe's, Home Depot, and Target)

I love having my mom here! We wore ourselves out and I was dead asleep (on the couch) at about 8:45. Whew.

Today we're headed to Trader Joe's, then back to the house for yard work! We had perfect Fall-in-WA weather yesterday, and it should be nice today once the incredibly thick fog lifts. Hope you're having a wonderful first Fall weekend in your neck of the woods!

I sure miss this guy...
...especially on his birthday! Happy, happy day, my love. See you soon.

Recipe Exchange!

My s-i-l, Charla, put out the call for recipes...Here's a favorite of mine - my niece, Marla, introduced me to this over the summer. Super easy and delicious.

Spinach Sausage Pasta

I can hit my hybrids.

Yes, I can.

On the ground.

No tee.

(This is a milestone for me, so I thought I'd document my new golf progress - mainly for my own memory preservation, but also for Will to see I'm making some gains. This might have been the last decent day to go to the driving range for a while.)

**Update: My doctor (I say "my" but in reality I see a different person each time) says I do have carpal tunnel. She pressed and manipulated my wrists and my fingers went tingly then slightly numb, which apparently is a tell-tale sign. I haven't really felt that before her prodding, though. Also, I have only been having serious pain in the mornings...it seems to subside in the afternoons/evenings. Apparently, this is normal. The doctor also ordered x-rays to have as a baseline to check back with later as this hopefully improves. I will wear splints on my wrists/hands every night and when I'm at home just hanging around. Oh, and I will take anti-inflammatories daily. I'm just hoping I can sleep with those things on my arms!**

Weekend Updates...

-I got an email about this today. Well, I got an email with the info, and I looked on Snopes myself. What do you think?

-My to-do list for when Mom is here (she comes Friday and stays through the next Sunday) already has a few things: finally hang fan in the Man Room, fix the back door (won't latch anymore), repair damage to the coffee table caused by Will's dog (a.k.a. Dixie, who, as of this week, has munched three of the four legs), and tackle the overgrown planter box. But don't worry, we'll have time for fun, too.

-Also about Mom (& Dad), I made over their blog and I'm going to give Mom a tutorial while she's here. Expect random posting soon.

-I'm going to the doctor in the morning. I hate going because it's not close and I have to take off a whole day (they tend to be running late, and then if you need any meds you have to wait eons for the pharmacy). However, we have quality doctors and don't pay anything (other than months away from our spouses, but it is a good feeling to walk out with bags of meds without paying a dime). Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I noticed something was wrong with my right hand. I thought at first it was sore from pulling so many weeds...then I attributed it to holding the bar in my weight training class...and now I think it's something more chronic (I have not done that class since last Monday, and I have not done any yard work besides mowing). I have it on good authority/advice that it might be carpal tunnel syndrome - and this would be very ironic because for a long time I thought carpal tunnel was something people made up so they didn't have to work...I know that sounds ignorant, but my experience (years ago) with people who had this was limited, and they were totally the type of people who would claim to have such a thing and really not. This paragraph has gotten way too long, and I will hopefully have more information tomorrow as to why I can't pick up a full coffee pot with my right hand.

-I was catching up on blogs this morning and saw this posted on Donna's blog. This guy is amazing, and I especially like this video. What a tribute...

-This is a great site (thanks, Uncle Rocky!).

-I tried a new class at the gym tonight. Afterwards, I decided it's the perfect hump day class - not too strenuous, but definitely a workout, and lots of fun! I looked like a total fool! At one point we were zumba-ing to Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" and mine sure didn't - they told the true story that this girl has got no moves...

-I'm so glad my mom is coming to visit soon! I just wish I didn't have to work while she's here.

-About work, it's going so well. I love my class and the other sixth grade teacher. We just mesh well, and collaborate, and (shocker) we both actually enjoy kids! This relationship makes all the difference in the world as far as boosting my want-to factor...I want to work with this person and I enjoy our meetings. Things aren't perfect (are they ever?) but they are far and away better than last year.

-If you know someone who's husband/wife is going to be delployed and they don't already use Netflix, you should get it for them as a gift (just for the months of the deployment, or go in together with a few friends to cover it). It has been really nice to be able to fill some of the hours that I'm home alone, hours that I don't feel like doing anything but curling up on the couch and relaxing with a movie. One of the guys who is deployed with Will takes care of the Netflix queue for his wife - she never knows what's coming next and it's been fun for her to see how well her husband knows her tastes. I think you could do this for a friend, especially one that you know well.

...Just my two cents. Hope you have a great end to the week!

This is some of the best stuff I've heard lately.

My favorite part:

"I am tired of the Obama supporters thinking that if you aren’t voting for him you are stupid, or ill-informed, or don’t care about our country. And that you are probably racist.

I am tired of the McCain supporters thinking that if you aren’t voting for him you are stupid, ill-informed, or don’t care about our country. And that you probably hate war veterans."

Chris, from Notes from the Trenches, is nothing if not refreshing. The banter in my part of the country has gotten especially ugly, and I need a dose of refreshing every once in a while. Also, my brother-in-law-in-law Barry has written an eloquent, thought-provoking post entitled "Blue Like Obama: One Evangelical's Case Against the Evangelical Case for Barack Obama." Very much worth checking out.

(Yes, more on my gardening...there's not a lot going on, and I'm feeling overwhelmingly domestic as fall approaches.)

Well, I only ended up with two successful "crops" this year (because they overtook the rest)...however, the abundance of those, zucchini and cherry tomatoes, has been surprising to say the least.


So, what did I do with my abundance of zucchini? I shredded my two monster zucchinis (using what is possibly my all-time favorite kitchen gadget, my Cuisinart food processor - thanks Leslie!) and ended up with 30 cups! Yesterday, I decided to make some zucchini bread for the troops (well, my troop, even though he's not sure that he even likes zucchini bread). I opted for the healthy version, replacing half of the oil with applesauce and cutting the sugar way down while adding 1/4 cup molasses to give it a sweet, caramel flavor. Well, it's pretty...



I have truly enjoyed the normal-sized fresh zucchini, especially sauteed with a little olive oil, garlic, and onion. Mmm.


Now, onto the tomatoes. This plant is unreal. I have so many cherry tomatoes that I am giving them away in droves. One day I had seemingly thousands of green clumps, almost like grapes, and now every day they are ripening and begging to be picked and enjoyed. I pick a bowlful each day, eat what I can/want, and bring the rest to coworkers. I'd love to share them with Will, who chose this plant, but I don't think they freeze - right? Maybe I could simmer them into a tomato sauce base and freeze that? Let me know if you have any ideas/advice. Anyway, aren't they gorgeous?


The dogs love them - they get all of the fruit that has already split open with ripeness. And they try to get the rest...


This little guy was interesting...


So, it's feeling a lot like fall with harvesting going on, with youth football kicking off (I love watching my bobbleheads in action - some of them are really good for sixth graders), and a distinct chill in the air each evening...That, and the fact that I picked these up at Target the other day:


They're good, but I think they'd be a lot better if they were coated in dark chocolate with the pumpkin spice as filling.

-Did anyone else hear Obama this morning on "This Week" when he said he's for exploring the idea of performance pay for teachers?

-I was feeling lonely today after church (and really missing post-church lunches at the pho place with Will) so I decided to go to the Farmer's Market. It was a gorgeous day and people were in the mood to talk. I had some really interesting conversations about produce and learned quite a bit. I also was able to help a lady put a name to a vegetable that she had once had - jicama (she was trying to describe it to one of the vendors and they didn't know what she was talking about). She found me later while I was having a snack and watching the bluegrass band perform, and she invited me to visit her church. If you know anything about where I live, you know how incredibly rare that kind of thing is.

-There are a lot of people on strike around here. I wish there was some other way for everything to be resolved, but I don't have any more ideas than the next guy. An interesting twist to one of these strikes is that the teachers in the Bellvue school district are posting videos of their strike on You Tube, providing their insight, reasoning, and personal stories.

-I hosted a going away party for a coworker yesterday. We had good food and good conversation...I cleaned the house and got the yard looking pretty nice for the party, so it was great to wake up and be able to relax and enjoy the sunny Sunday. I washed the cars and now I have a few Netflixed movies to catch up on.

-I'm making pasta with leftover chicken sausages and grilled chicken from last night's party, and I'm throwing in some fresh basil and garlic from the Farmer's Market. I'm hoping to take full advantage of that place before it closes in December (and doesn't open again until April). I also need to whip up some zucchini bread to send to my sweet husband along with some other goodies.

-That's all I've got. Happy week...hope it's a good one.

My next-door neighbor, Mandy, just got a blog up and running (not an easy feat when you're busy running after a two-year-old and getting your older one to Kindergarten for his first week of school)! Check it out!

This is how I feel after the last two days...I'd like to cry but I am too tired. I have a very large group of students with various needs (which is not different in and of itself from any year). But, this group is so, I don't know, needy. They need more of me than I'm sure I can give. I was relieved at how this first day went, especially after Open House - it was a constant barrage of parents telling me about their kids issues/meds/IEPs/family situations/allergies/etc. It was wonderful to finally meet them today, instead of their problems. They are a very, very special group and amazing things are happening in their lives...life changing things...and most of them aren't even 12 yet. Adoptions, a degenerative disease, divorces, marriages, any and all manner of ADD, ADHD, behavior disorders...And they are funny, sarcastic, bright, sharp as tacks, and they seem to kinda like me. It just seems as though this group, more so than any of my other past classes, has come to me at a time where their character is truly being molded. And I think they're the kind of group that will let me play a bigger role than just spectator. It's overwhelming.

It's likely I'll come out of this year with nothing left, an empty tank, but I am certain I'll be pouring it all out for a very good reason...make that 29 good reasons. And we're off...

I never posted much about my summer adventure, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately as summer has officially ended and work has begun...So here's a short recap as I reminisce about warm weather and warm company.

While in Oklahoma, my parents and I went peach-picking. We went early enough that it wasn't too hot, and we picked a bunch. It was a nice morning and we found a spot towards the back of the orchard that still had plenty of fruit left on the trees. It was something fun to do, and mom made some delicious cobbler from, literally, the fruits of our efforts.

We took Miss Dixie to the lake with us one day, and she LOVED it! I had no idea she'd be such a swimmer, but she would have crossed the lake if we would have let her. We all had a blast - the water was nice and the beer was cold!
I had to venture to Denver for a conference for work. It was very informative, and I especially enjoyed our breakout sessions. I walked around the city a bit and enjoyed the scenery (but not the 100 degree weather). I talked the other lady who was with me (another teacher at my school) into checking out the dueling piano bar Sing Sing...Well, I had a lot of fun! After the work part was over, I was able to spend an evening with Will's aunt, uncle and cousin. They live in such a neat town, just outside of Denver, and we had a wonderful evening catching up over a good bottle of wine. I wish we all lived closer (or had millions of air miles).
I had to include the following picture from Denver as a shout-out to my friends in College Station! You've got your own hotel, Curtis? You've been holding out on us!


After Denver, I headed to Georgia for my niece's 13th birthday celebration in Atlanta, followed by a week of relaxing poolside at my sister's house. We went to the Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts concert, and we had such a good time! We adults were all a bit skeptical, but it was an amazing show. That Taylor Swift is one talented girl - she wrote "Our Song" when she was a freshman in high school - whoa! Rascal Flatts was also really good and had an incredible set. It exceeded our expectations tenfold and made me want to see more big concerts.


My niece got Guitar Hero, the Aerosmith edition, for her birthday. She's a rock star - just look!

My older niece started playing softball this year (because she wasn't busy enough with cheerleading, twirling, basketball, annual...). I got to go to her first game. She plays center field, and I need a much bigger zoom on my camera.


After Georgia, I rented a car and drove to Panama City Beach, Fl to meet up with my former neighbor and good friend, Rhonda, and her kiddos. They recently moved across the country, so this was kind of our last hurrah. The weather did not cooperate for the first few days...
The winds tore the roof off of the building next to our condo!

We spent some time indoors, including visiting Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. It was a blast, especially for the kids (they had a pirate on stilts making balloon hats and swords and such). Arrrr, matey!

Also, we danced the night away at Tootsie's! This place was great - live music during the day (and night), kid friendly (until about 9:30 pm), and a dance floor. I had one GREAT dance parter, even if he is only 5!

Thankfully, the weather cleared up and we were able to spend a few days at the beach and by the pool.


The night before I left there was a concert in the park. It was perfect weather, the perfect location, and the music was okay. If I lived there I would go every week - I think they said it goes from May through the end of August. It was neat to see every one's spread - some people brought small tables, complete with candles, wine and hors d'oeuvres. We brought beer in a cooler, fried chicken, and a key lime pie from Publix. We had fun just the same.

After the concert in the park, Rhonda and I headed over to the Hofbrauhaus to meet up with her nephew and some of his friends, home from school for the weekend. We got to enjoy some great German folk music from a father/daughter band straight from the great state of Texas! They picked Rhonda from the audience to compete in a yodeling contest...She didn't win, but it was close!
Finally, I spent more time with my sweet niece before heading back to Oklahoma, then back to Washington. Sweet Hannah was being so serious while I was taking these pictures...She didn't actually make this face - I was making her furrow that brow, you just can't see my hand - but she sure wasn't giving me any smiles!

However, how could your heart not melt when you see those big, blue eyes?!? She's gorgeous and I miss her like crazy. I can't stand being so far away!


I am so glad I was able to spend this summer with family and friends...and get some face time with the sun! I wish I had had more time to see everyone, but it just flies by so fast. We have Open House tomorrow night, then the big first day of school on Wednesday! Where did the summer go? Oh, and have I mentioned that it's been getting in the lower 40's at night? That's practically freezing, which makes it practically winter, which is a bit depressing. At least the cooler, cloudy weather makes me feel like working inside...