why I couldn't get anything done today

Today was Christmas picture day, and the photographer was set up in the after-school classroom...which is directly across the room from my class. Needless to say, trying to keep my class focused on anything other than what was going on across the room was an exercise in futility.

playing with my new camera

This new camera is just amazing - I can set it to take b/w, sepia, red, green, blue, or even negative pictures! I love the way Celeste looks in negative.

playground gravel

holiday wreath

Yep, it's time to decorate the classroom for Christmas! Check out my little hands wreath. One handprint from each child, with a little holly berry cutout. Yay for Christmastime!!!

imparting wisdom

Sensei-hubby explains the wii-mote to his mom.

Wii go bowling

There's sensei-hubby's dad playing WiiSports bowling, Sensei-hubby watching from behind the couch, and his brother, ToonMan, on the couch. We went to ToonMan's house after we got home from my sister's, and we had to take along the Wii - this is the first gaming system Sensei-hubby's gotten before his brother. Even the parental units are wanting one now!

my family's Christmas

Yes, my family has our Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. It's just so convenient since we're all already there.

So here's the haul for our Dirty Santa. I ended up with a pair of gloves and the hubby got the board game Clue.

Thanksgiving naptime

This is Socks. Yes, there are socks on my husband's feet, but I mean the dog. My mother's youngest child. She's spoiled rotten, but she is adorable.

Roxie

You can't tell from this pic, but Roxie is the teeny-tiniest little tail-less wonder. And feisty, too.

pilgrims

We made pilgrim hats today - the kids were so excited about getting to wear them around the classroom. I'm not sure the pilgrims would have worn them like backwards baseball caps, but whatever.

neat effect

I really liked the unintentional effect on this picture. I was taking pictures from behind a lattice wall in the dojo, and the flash hitting the lattice gave the pic this fuzzy, surreal kind of look. No photoshopping, I promise! Anyway, that's Shihan Tracy helping one of the younger white belts with his kata.

WHEE!

Or, Wii, to be more precise. Yes, according to my tech-addict husband, we HAD to have this gaming console. So he was actually at WalMart at midnight to buy it. Christmas came early in this house, and this is all we're getting. It is pretty cool though.

sittin' pretty

The only picture I took today. Celeste was being so cute on the couch, all curled up on her back with her feet up in the air, just like a kitten. Of course, the minute I got up to get my phone to snap a quick pic she moved. Then she just sat there on the arm of the couch and stared at me. It was like she was begging me to take her picture.

frost

I fear that winter is fast approaching. This morning's frost was heavy. For all intents and purposes the car windshield was iced over.

dreamin'

I have a journal where I keep ideas for that dream house we'll build someday. Pictures from magazines that have some little feature I love, or even hate, with notes about what I like/dislike. I've even cut floor plans from books and put them in here with the specific feature I like highlighted. My goal is to be able to hand the book to a contractor and be done with it.

Rudy

This is Rudy, the fish that belongs to my classroom. I worded it that way because I inherited this little guy from the teacher before the teacher before me. Yeah. He wasn't my idea. But he is pretty. I keep waiting for the day I walk in and find him floating...I have no idea how old he is. How long do bettas tend to live?

photog-block

It's one of those days that I don't really have a picture to sum up. So I just started taking random pictures around the house, and here's the one I liked the best.

'tis the season...

Cold and flu, that is. My "honey please" list today included the following Walmart run: tissues, NyQuil, and chapstick. I think mine is just a cold...no aches or tummy yuckiness yet (knock wood), but Sensei-hubby's may be flu-ish. Great.

busy weekend

Had a pretty busy weekend, so I'm just now getting to play catch-up with my picutre posting. I'm cheating again and posting 2 pics for each day. Sue me.

Saturday, November 11, 2006




This weekend was Homecoming at our alma mater. Being former choral group members, we went to the choral performances (which were great - the Chorale is spectacular this year!). I waited too long to get pictures, so this is just a random crowd shot from after the performances.

After we put in our appearance at Homecoming, we were off to Memphis to enjoy this little gem.

Oh, yeah. This was awesome! Trans-Siberian Orchestra is something everyone should experience at least once in their lives. The musical talent is incredible. The pyrotechnics and special effects are outstanding. And if you are like me, you'll find the storyline to be truly moving.

Sunday, November12, 2006

Had lunch at Benihana. I love hibachi. And our chef had amazingly swift hands. There was a ton of food. But I have to admit, I wasn't as impressed as I am with our Asahi. I think it's because the Asahi chefs do more little cute stuff with the food instead of just twirling things around. The onion volcano/smoky mountain/train makes my day every time. And that just didn't happen at Benihana.

Spent the afternoon playing Texas Hold'em with Sensei-hubby's bro and sis-in-law. Fun stuff! I stink at poker. I'm too curious for my own good. There's always that chance that someone is bluffing, and I can't stand not knowing for sure. So I usually lose. Good thing we aren't actually betting money, huh?

Friday night fun

Hubby's brother and sister-in-law came down for a visit - this weekend is homecoming at our alma mater. We entertained ourselves with a game of Imaginiff.

Neko

This is Neko. He decided to "help" me clean tonight. It's so funny to watch him drag that feather duster around in his mouth. If it wasn't real ostrich feather I'd probably let him have it as a toy. It's just too good of a cleaning tool to give up though.

lookin' up

This afternoon we finally got to take our classes out to the playground! It's been rainy and wet all week, and the pea gravel was still pretty wet this afternoon, but when you've been cooped up inside for three days with 13 little bodies full of excess energy, your definition of "too wet" becomes a little less rigid.

Election Day

rain, rain, go away...

Rain, rain, go away

Come again another day

Ms Amber's class would like to play

So rain, rain, please go away!

bridesmaid-ing

Spent the afternoon at the flea market being measured for my jacket for my friend's oriental wedding. Chinese sizing is depressing. A 3XL was too small for my "blessed" frame. Anyway, the orange-y one is the one I'll be wearing in April (well, that's the fabric mine will be made from anyway)

as promised...

After 24 hours we put the battery back in my phone and the backlight worked! Until I tried to change a setting. So we hit the Verizon store this evening. They didn't have my exact phone in stock. I had the choice of holding on to my phone while they had a replacement FedEx'd to me (2 business days wait) or slightly downgrading and replacing my phone right away. So I gave up the VCast capability (not like I use it anyway) and went for the downgrade. Best part? Since my phone was still under warranty, this was abso-freakin'-lutely free!

my new wardrobe

Today was my first day in scrubs at work. That's the new uniform...sort of. We have the option of switching to scrubs (but only teal or brown ones) or sticking with khakis and collared shirts. I chose scrubs because I'm tired of messing up my clothes with the kids. So I went to work in my brown scrubs today - pretty comfy. My husband said I looked like a nurse from UPS. Ha. Ha. Ha. He's so funny.

disconnected

I had to go without my cell phone today, and I thought I would go insane. Funny how something that I lived my life perfectly content without for 24 years can become essential to my everyday life.

The backlight on my cell went out yesterday evening and hasn't come back. When I tried the camera, I could barely make out the error message on the display "busy - try again." I'm getting a freaking busy signal on my camera??? Sensei-Hubby did a little research online last night and ran across the suggestion of removing the battery for 24 hours, so we're gonna see if that fixes the problem. Otherwise, expect a picture of the Verizon store for my Saturday edition.

Lesson Plans

I hate this part of my job...well, not really. I actually enjoy it from the organizational angle. It's all the writing involved that I loathe. Fill out the lesson plan book, then fill out a report sheet to be turned in each week. Keeps me occupied during naptime though.