Excuses

A side benefit of my job is listening to absurd excuses. I call it a benefit because 9 times out of 10, the excuses offered always make me laugh. This year, I have heard several new excuses. I had someone tell me they smoke pot to cure their anorexia. They believed that smoking pot caused them to have the munchies, which caused them to eat...ta da, anorexia cured. That one quickly jumped to the top of my list of top 10 excuses.

I heard a new excuse today. We noticed someone was very tired and unmotivated so we asked what time they went to sleep last night. When they told us what time, we talked about appropriate bedtimes, etc. We asked why they were awake so late and they told us, "my tv wouldn't turn off." We asked if they tried the power button on both the remote and the actual tv. They told us, "yeah." We asked if they unplugged the tv. They said, "Yes, but it stayed on." I had to get up and leave the room to keep from laughing. It was clear they were grasping for any "straw" to keep from getting in trouble.

Desk For Sale

In an attempt to futhur prepare for Miss Ella's arrival, we have decided to sell our Sauder computer desk. We are asking $100 or best offer. I didn't realize how dusty the thing was until I looked at the pictures I took last night! We were using it as a catch all for papers instead of an actual desk and it's time we find it a new home. So ignore the dust and my lack of motivation to clean the spare room! We are only selling the desk, not the computer. I just didn't feel like moving the computer off the desk to take pictures.

At the tallest part (the "tower") it stands 42" high. The tower dimensions are 42" x 19 1/2" x 26". The lower part of the desk stands 29" tall. The whole thing is 58" long. Let me know if you are interested. If you can't come pick it up and live locally, we can probably deliver it. It does have a slide out keyboard/mouse shelf. The CD storage part is NOT broken. I just didn't realize some of the slots were folded in on themselves and not pushed all the way back.

Avoid the Princess

Yesterday I read an article written by Pamela Paul in Parents magazine. Pamela interviewed Peggy Orenstein about her new book, Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatched From the Front Lines of the New Girly-Girl Culture. The article intrigued me. The Pamela and Peggy discussed how our culture has turned girls into uber girly-girls. Pamela says, "what can we do to help our daughters who are coming of age today have the best sense of girlhood possible."

It seems our cultures have turned our daughters into wimpy princesses. Why must all girls be associated with such helpless (usually they are portrayed that way) characters who are patiently waiting on a man? Really? Can we not teach our daughters to be happy with who they are? Peggy said, "...what does it mean that our little girls are all about being pretty princesses? Have girls made so much progress that it's no big deal? Or is this the first step towards hypersexualization? I don't remember everything being so pink when we were little - we were all 'Free to Be You and Me' - and I didn't know where this new culture of girl came from."

I just want my kids to be what they want to be. I want them to be strong, independent and happy. I worry that the new found cultural obsession with princesses (do you know how many princess themed bedroom sets, toys, etc there are? Thank you Disney!) will cause my daughter to define herself by making her think that how she looks is who she is.

Don't get me wrong, some cultural princesses are strong women, but they are always waiting around for a man. I think that the new found obsession with princesses is causing younger girls to grow up too fast. Have you looked around the schools lately and noticed what the little kids are wearing? Heck, some of the little kid Halloween costumes I saw in the store this year I considered smut! Do we really want our elementary school girls thinking they have to dress skimpy and be all "made up" to be happy in life? Oh, and what is with little girls using the word "sexy?" I'm sorry, if anyone calls my little girl sexy I may snap. How can a 3 year old be sexy? Really? I have had someone tell my son he looks sexy and I about flew off the handle. HE IS ALMOST THREE! Three year olds don't need to know that word! He can look handsome, but sexy? That word should be reserved for married adults if you ask me! Maybe I am just too conservative, but no child of mine will be "sexy."

I am not knew to the culture of little girls. I have three nieces and have been in their lives since the oldest two were three and four. I have watched them grow into their own. The oldest is a farm girl with a touch of girly-girl. She could kick your butt, hunt her own food, and then put on lip gloss. The middle one is still trying to find her way. I think she will go towards the girly-girl side, but who knows. The youngest will be a mix of both. She likes her make up (lip gloss) but isn't afraid to get in the barn with the cows, goats, rabbits, etc. I want my daughter to be well rounded. To know that it is ok to want to play sports and still be prom queen. If she wants to play on the football team and wear nail polish, good for her!

I look at the female students I have and wonder how they got to where they are. I have had several that use their bodies (or the promise of their bodies) to persuade males to do what they want. What/who taught them this is ok? that not only gives them a false sense of worth, but can make them seem like they are "easy" even if they are virgins. How do I limit her access to the materials that influence that kind of thinking without sheltering her?

So how do I raise a well rounded daughter? I really have no clue. Heck, I don't even know if I am raising a well rounded son. He says "please" and "thank you." Plays well with others, and is happy go lucky, so I think we are on the right path. I see many sleepless nights filled with prayers in my future!

Preparing for #2

7 weeks. 49 days. That's how much longer I have to go, or so I've been told. Taylor didn't show up on time (he was 2 weeks late) so I am not holding my breath that his sister will make her arrival on time (or even early). The past week has brought on the desire to want her here NOW. I don't remember having this feeling with TJ. I think I was too scared about the birthing process. I want Isabella (or Ella as I call her) here NOW! I want to snuggle a baby and rock her to sleep, etc.

I am a lot less paranoid this time around. I know what to expect, or so I think. I know where all the bottles are packed away. Have some of the "supplies" moved to the easier attic access spot, etc. Her room isn't done, but we know what we want to do, so that counts for something right? Her cradle is ready (handmade by my father and brother in law for TJ) and we have some clothes.....diapers....I must remember diapers.

We have finally made a decision about the birth. After much consideration and discussion, we have chosen to use the hospital instead of the birthing center. I like the idea of being able to have pain meds if I choose to. I have not made up my mind yet if I will use meds, but I like knowing that they are available if I want them. I also like the idea of being "pampered" by the hospital staff right after giving birth. I had an amazing team of nurses the first time around (Thank You Nancy Hill and Mrs. Reese, no, not my mom). They were firm, but polite, etc. We have someone to watch TJ and Scooter so I don't feel like I need to rush right home afterwards. I will admit that TJ's birth has me scared crapless to do it again, but she's gotta come out!

In preparing for a new baby, I have sorted through all of TJ's old things. Since they will be born almost exactly 3 years apart (we are talking almost to the day people, can we time it or what?!) their seasons of outfits will match up. I have pulled the gender neutral ones and sleep sacks (do I really care if she is sleeping in a baseball themed sleep sack? Nope!). I still have A TON of boy clothes left. If you know of anyone who is needing baby boy clothes, please let me know! I have a ton. If I can't get rid of them this way, I guess I will have to suffer through a garage sale....please don't make me have a garage sale!

Fish Sauce

So I have been on the hunt for fish sauce all weekend. I have a Pad Thai recipe I want to try and it calls for fish sauce. I checked at Wal-Mart, but apparently they don't feel the need to carry it. So I looked at Kroger. They don't find it important either. I checked at Meijer this morning and low and behold, I found fish sauce. I read the ingredients, out of curiosity and discovered it is is anchovies, salt, and sugar. Ok, simple enough. Then I read the final line under the ingredients. Warning: Does contain fish. Well DUH! It's called FISH sauce. As a consumer I would be upset if my fish sauce didn't contain any fish!

Made me think off all the dumb people who have done stupid things that now require companies to list the obvious on their warning labels.

The first thing that comes to mind is the lady who spilled coffee in her lap and then sued McDonald's for her coffee being hot. Well, had they given her cold coffee she would have complained that it was cold! Coffee is hot, we all know this. Just because you are klutzy enough to dump it in your lap doesn't mean you should be able to sue!

The lady who recently fell into a mall fountain. Ok lady, your 15 minutes of "fame" are up! Heck, your theft wrap sheet has been made public. You were the one texting and walking. It's not like the giant fountain jumped out in front of you and swallowed you up! Sure, you're embarrassed, but why not just laugh at the situation instead of having the public drudge through your criminal records to prove you are an idiot?!

Some irons remind users to remove their clothes before ironing. I guess I thought most people already knew that....apparently not.

Liquid Plumber reminds it's users to not reuse the bottle for beverages. Ok, gotcha.

Windex tells us not to spray it in our eyes. I really don't know what to say to that one.

Arm and Hammer Scoopable Cat Liter wants us to know that their product is safe to use around cats....well, I'd hope so!

A child's size Superman Costume reminds the wearer that although the costume has a cape, it does not enable the wearer to actually fly. Crap! There goes my new idea on how to fly south at an inexpensive rate!

You know all of these dumb warning labels exists because someone was stupid enough to try something, got mad that it didn't work/or they hurt themselves and then decided to make a dollar or two off their stupidity.

Is our culture that stupid?

Do You Derby?

So a year ago I was turned on to a new sport, roller derby! I remember watching the banked track style on tv when I was younger, but being at a live event is awesome! The fact that Ft. Wayne has not one, but two teams is even cooler! If you have never been to a Ft. Wayne Derby Girls bout, you need to go (Claire, if you are reading this, this means YOU!).

If you are not familiar with derby, check out the Ft. Wayne Girls website. If I could skate, I would soo turn Ayron into a derby widow. But since walking provides me with enough challenges, I will remain a screaming fan. Heck, I commemorated my first tattoo with a derby girls bout....ahhh...memories!

Derby starts this Saturday and I can't wait. I have my tickets, do you?

My Creative Mind

I want to start by stating that this post is NOT intended to "diss" the Amish. In fact, I think we all could benefit from a simpler life style. I respect their culture and their beliefs.

I am taking a class about special education and just completed an assignment for class. For this assignment I had to use 2 students from my current teaching assignment and complete a "project" about them. The students I currently have are not culturally diverse nor are they disabled (2 requirements for this project). I had to get creative. I created a student and with the help of a friend (Leah) here is what we created.

Student Name: Benjamin Graber
People who can provide information on this student: Benjamin, Ben’s counselor,
Cultural background: Very limited access to “modern” world
Language considerations: Fluent in both English and German (Amish). English is spoken in the home, while some German is spoken during traditional services/ceremonies
Accommodations needed: Larger student desk that is easily accessible.
Socioeconomic considerations: Traditional Amish family; several extended family members live in the home; dad is a furniture maker; mom tends to gardens and the small siblings.
Learning style information: Written learner
Instructional considerations: If homework assignments require Internet, computer, etc, Ben will need accommodations made so he can complete the assignment.
Back story: (the back story WAS not submitted with my assignment, Leah and I created it just to amuse ourselves....we were amused). Ben lost both of his legs in the freak butter churning accident of 1999. He wanted to get the shiny red wheelchair but the community elders decided it was to ostentatious, so he was forced to get the black and blue version. Ben likes to spend his weekends racing Jacob Yoder and Jacob's miniature pony. Ben can often be heard yelling, "4 wheels are better than 4 hooves. Eat my dust Jacob Yoder!"

Let me finish this post by restating that we are in no way against the Amish. I wish I could live such a simple and religious life. This assignment was simply fueled by my need for a culturally diverse and disabled student, my lack of sleep, and the fact that I slammed a Pepsi for breakfast. This is the amount of creative genius I am capable of on 3 hours of sleep and 12 ounces of Pepsi. Please do not be offended. This was intended to make people laugh. Heck, it sent both Leah and I running for the comfort of our toilets!

I'm an "expert?"

I will be going to court in less than an hour, this is nothing new to me, especially on Monday mornings. Juvenile court cases are done on Monday mornings in the county I work in. The court room doesn't scare me, testifying doesn't scare me, the judge doesn't scare me, mean defense attorney's don't scare me, being considered and "expert" scares me!

I was talking with the judge last week about a particular situation and he asked me to come to court and be an "expert" during that case. Really? Me? An expert? I don't view myself as an expert. I have been doing this job for 5 years now, but I don't consider myself an expert. I am only 27 years old people, how am I old enough to be an expert in anything?! I have some knowledge (thank you Indiana Prison For Women or I Paid For What if you prefer....aka: IPFW) but I am by no means an "expert." Heck, I only hold a bachelors degree! I just start going back to school to renew my license and just this past weekend decided what master's degree I wanted to work on. It just slightly frightens me that my thoughts and opinions could/will be viewed as an expert opinion!

I am an expert in some things, that I will admit. I don't mean to brag or boast, just being honest.

I am an expert at panicking. I do that very well (hence this blog post).

I am an expert at multi tasking thanks to my adult onset A.D.D. I can finish laudry, do dishes, cook dinner, help TJ remember that "E" is a letter of the alphabet, and sing along to the radio at one time.

I am an expert at tripping, especially when pregnant. In order to be considered an expert in this field, one must be able to fall gracefully and not seriously injure themselves. I have fallen so many times throughout my two pregnancies. I usually fall at work. I usually stand up and bow for the jail security cameras and hope that I gave them a good laugh. I wonder if they have a tally board somewhere in the "nest" where they keep track of my falls?

I am an expert on bugging my older sister. I have had 27 years of practice people, 27 years makes you an expert.

I am an expert at changing dirty pants (TJ's, not mine!) in odd locations.

I am an expert at deciphering song lyrics. Sadly, my husband is not. He still thinks that Gwen Stephani's song is "I ain't no Harlem fat girl" instead of "I ain't no holla back girl." I will admit that while we both know the lyrics, we still sing "I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God, he calls me FRED!"

I am an expert at butt kissing. I don't deny it. Heck, today is the first official day of "grad school" for me and I have already done one homework assignment, submitted one project, aced a quiz, and started on my lengthy online homework assignment. If that's not kissing up, I don't know what is. My sister might say that I am also an expert at kissing the butts of my parents, but she's just jealous. We all know that parents love the baby the most :) I am totally kidding (kind of).....Love you Natty! Dear Dad, insert gut chuckle here, come on...you know you wanna...don't bother trying to stifle it. Go ahead, leave a comment....you know you want to!

I am an expert at a lot of novice activities (nice oxymoron huh!) but an expert in my old field?! I guess we'll see how this morning goes, then maybe I will consider myself and expert in educating juveniles who are "at risk."

Gone and Forgotten

I read an article on yahoo yesterday about things babies who are born in 2011 will never know. It made me think about things that I remember from my childhood that are no longer in existence.

Anyone remember a rotary phone? Our old church had on in the basement and I HATED that phone. It was such a pain to make the wheel circle all the way to the left then wait for it to go back to the right, etc. I remember when we got our first cordless phone at home. The pull out antena went for miles! I also remember not being able to stand by the running microwave while on the phone due to noise interferance. That could just been our gigantic and dinasour like microwave too.

Beta tapes anyone? I remember at one point we had a Beta AND VHS player. There was only one place in town that still rented BETA tapes. I don't know why, but if I wanted to rent a movie I wanted it to be a Beta tape. For some reason I preferred Beat to the VHS. I can't remember now why, but apparently when I was 5, I had my reasons.

Cassette tapes have gone by the wayside. I remember putting blank tapes in the boom box (yet another lost treasure) and taping songs off the radio. Making mixed tapes for my friends was the coolest! I found one the other day and laughed at the cruddy sound of the songs I taped from the radio. Does anyone still own AND use a walkman anymore? I remember my dad had one that was HUGE. You might as well lug around a full stero, but man was it cool to be able to listen to music while waiting at the bus stop.

Old style printer paper that had the removable side strips...oh the joys of ripping off the sides and then folding those two strips over each other to make a springy object to throw. Getting mad when you ripped the sides off too fast and ripped your paper. Oh, lets not forget the old dot matrix style printers.

Good, clean, humorous family sitcoms seem to have disappeared. I'm talking Full House, Family Matters, Doogie Houser, etc. Although as I watch these shows as an adult now, I do catch a lot of adult humor that I missed as a kid. I remember being very upset if we weren't home so that I could watching ABC's "TGIF" line up!

Why does no one write handwritten letters anyone? I know that I am guilty of this, but I also know how fun it is get a real hand written card in the "snail mail." Oh, and Christmas cards that have a typed "what we did this year" letter folded up and smooshed inside DO NOT COUNT!

Pepsi Clear, oh how I miss you! I had a craving for one the other day and it broke my heart to realize they haven't made that drink in YEARS. I remember there was one gas station on the way to Purdue that would carry the drink. I would beg my mom to stop at that gas station when we were driving to visit my sister just so I could get a Pepsi Clear.

What things do you remember that don't exsist anymore?

In Vitro Humor

I have a friend (well, they are a couple, but let's face it, the guy just gets to fill a cup and be done with all the physical stuff) who is in the process of in vitro fertilization. This couple is great and really needs to have a whole boat load of kids. They have taught all of our children so much (and we can't wait to repay the favor :) ). They have been trying for over a year now to conceive and have been to countless doctors and specialists. On paper, there is no reason why these two should have any trouble "being fruitful and multiplying." My heart breaks when I think about all they are going through, both physical and emotionally. They are both such strong people and I can only imagine the mental and physical toll this is having on them.

She has always had a crazy sense of humor and lets face it, the fact that he married her shows his sense of humor (seriously, I tease because I know they can handle it and will just dish it right back at me). She sent me this message last night and it cracked me up and I had to pass it along. I know the struggles they face are hard, but I am sure that with humor like this, they will make it through.

"Things I'd rather do than In Vitro Fertilization"

1.lick a septic tank
2. get a Brazilian wax with gorilla glue
3. "spoon" with my father-in-law
4. get a colonoscopy from a Parkinson's patient
5. have a cotton-candy enema then sit on a fire-ant hill
6. take a slap-shot to the face
7. do a soft-core porn with Michael Moore
8. do a hard-core porn with Michael Moore
9. have a slumber party with Sarah Palin
10. do my own bowel-resection with a rusty x-acto knife
11. take a bath with my husband's ex wife
12. go to a Jonas brother's concert

How Did We Turn Out Alright?

I was going through all of TJ's old baby clothes the other day and it hit me....I am a mother of not just one, but two. How did I get to this point? Who would have ever thought? Not me! I am now responsible for raising these two kids to be respectful, decent, productive members of society. At times that task seems so daunting. I can't even get my 2 year old to pee in the potty (that's another blog post for a later time), how in the world am I going to raise him to be kind, decent, loving, etc. Ayron walked in and caught me thinking while folding tiny baby clothes and we began to talk.

We talked about how we were raised. Our upbringings were similar and we like to think we turned out just fine. We respected (and still respect) our elders and were well-rounded teenagers (perhaps a bit geeky, but that's ok). I see so much disrespect for parents at my job and it amazes me. My students say things to their parents' faces that I would have never thought, let alone said.

My parents never told me not to smoke, do drugs, drink, or have sex, yet I never did any of those things. I have never touched a cigarette in my life, never taken an illegal drug, and was a virgin on my wedding day (think what you want, but how many people can honestly say that?). Even though my parents never lectured me on those things, I just knew not to do them. I wasn't afraid of the legal consequences, I was more afraid of my parents.

Don't get me wrong. I wasn't afraid they'd beat me or anything. I was more afraid of that look of disappointment on their face. That look of hurt and pain would have killed me! Dad always joked that if I ever got arrested he'd make me sit in jail overnight, but I don't know if he really would have left me overnight.

Ayron and I are wondering how we raise our kids to be like we were. How do we instill that....that fear (I hesitate to use fear because it's not the word I am searching for) in TJ and Ella? I know part of it is by just living a life worth modeling, one with strong values, beliefs, etc. We talked with one of our pastor's about it during a New Year's Even party and even he wasn't sure how to go about it. I want our children to have a healthy dose of respect and "fear" but I also want them to be able to come to us when they have problems. I want them to know that we won't judge them when they come to us with problems, concerns, etc.

Starting to Freak

So I am going to admit something.....I am starting to freak out about having another kid. I know, I know, kinda late huh?!

TJ was throwing a wonderful 2 year old tantrum (actually, his aren't that bad and have just recently begun in the last month) and I looked at Ayron and said, "What were we thinking wanting another one?" Potty training has been a nightmare and TJ's sudden attitude shifts from happy to demon possessed child make me wonder what we are in store for with Isabella (or Ella as I have taken to calling her). I know that each child is different, but I still can't help but wonder.

I am also starting to freak out about the actually birthing process, for like the third time this pregnancy. TJ's was such a traumatic birth that the thought of having to do that again makes me want to never get Ella out. At one point Ayron and I were discussing using a birthing center. We talked to our mid wife (she is associated with the center) and even talked to insurance provider, etc. Now I am leaning towards the hospital, for several reasons. At first I thought a short length of stay would be great (at the birthing center) because then we could get back to taking care of TJ, the dog, etc. My Aunt has agreed to come up and help with the 2 kids we already have (Scooter and TJ) while I recovering from having the 3rd. I know the cost factor has played a part in Ayron's mind. He doesn't want to start labor at the birthing center then have to go to the hospital for some reason and then have two bills. I am really leaning towards actually using pain meds during this birth. If I were to deliver at the birthing center, I would not have access to any pain meds. I have not made up my mind 100% on the use of pain meds, but I want that option there. I was talking to a friend (she is due a week after me with her second daughter) yesterday and we both decided we like how we get "pampered" at the hospital and I think I want that. Now I just have to tell our mid wife that I am wanting to deliver at the hospital. She is awesome and won't care, but for some reason I am nervous about telling her.

I also keep having this reoccurring dream that I have to have an emergency C-section. I really don't want to deal with the recovery from a C-Section! At our big 20 week ultrasound Ella was breech, but dang that child moves ALL THE TIME. Even if she does get herself head down, I doubt she'll stay there! I am hoping to have another ultrasound tomorrow to determine her position.

In some ways having 12 weeks left seems like such a long time, in other ways, 12 weeks is not nearly enough time! I want to meet her so badly, but I also feel like we need more time to get her room cleaned out, painted, furniture set up, etc. Heck, she only has 2 onsies and some booties right now! I need to go through TJ's old stuff and pull out the gender neutral clothes and start hunting for some pink and purple stuff!

Not Scared of Anything, Except Maybe This Book

I suggested to my sister that she and dad record some books for TJ for Christmas. My dad has recorded one before and TJ loves to hear grandpa's voice. Nat and Dad recorded two books for TJ for Christmas. When he opened We're Not Scared of Anything he immediately flipped to the last page. The last page begins with my sister "roaring" very loudly. Tj dropped the book, grabbed his mouth, and then whispered, "I peed." As soon as Natalee stopped roaring and began reading, TJ realized who it was. He got a very confused look on his face and said, "Natalee a liren?" (lion). He still flips to the page and roars right along with her. I wish I would have had my phone out the first time he opened to that page. The look on his face was priceless. I was able to capture him "reading" it later in the day. Here is some of the footage I caught.

Year End Wrap Up

It doesn't feel like the year should be coming to an end. Heck, it didn't even feel like Christmas time this past weekend. 2010 had it's ups and downs and I think we are finishing on a high note, so I am thankful for that.

I am curious to see what 2011 holds for us. It seems we have several avenues we could take, but are just being patient and praying for wisdom and guidance. I think He is using this time to teach me patience, so it is especially frustrating for me.

The holiday's were good. We had plenty of family time and I enjoyed watching TJ discover his new toys (nothing fancy or electronic) and interact with all his cousins and relatives. We did have some heart break. My great Uncle CJ passed and we are dealing with a reoccurring cancer on my husband's side. I know these things only bring us closer and make us stronger, but they still made the holiday's bittersweet.

I don't make resolutions, why set myself up for failure? I am simply looking forward to what He has in store for us and meeting the little girl that will make our family complete!

Here are some pictures from Christmas for your viewing pleasure (that and I can't get on facebook from here to upload them, so at least this way I can get some of the pictures out there).

Santa (aka: Pat Bennett) showed up at Leah's house, so we had to go say "hi."

Tj wouldn't get off the floor to go to the Christmas Eve service at church.

How many Reeves does it take to build a train table?

Scooter guarding the "wrapped" train table.

Tj on Christmas morning.

The shirt my mom got TJ for next Christmas.

My youngest niece modeling her new fashion skills.

My mom decided that Marisa's new life like baby doll needed tending. The baby actually blinks, coos, sucks on a pacifier, etc. Mom was rocking it and it was hysterical!

Chicken Bundles

Ingredients:

2 cans of crescent roll dough
6 oz of cream cheese, softened
13 oz canned chicken
garlic powder, to your taste
green onion, to your taste
sesame seeds

Directions:

Mix together the cream cheese, chicken, garlic powder, and green onion. Let sit all mixed together for an hour (in the fridge).

Unroll the crescent roll packages, but don't pull them apart into triangles. Keep every 2 triangles together and press the perforations together to make a rectangle (each package of crescent rolls will make 4 bundles). Gently use your hand to push the rectangle into a bigger square.

Put a decent sized spoonful in the middle of each crescent square. Fold up the corners and sides of the crescent dough around the filling. There is NO wrong way to do this. Just make sure all the sides are seamed shut. Continue making bundles till you have all 8 made.

Place on a lightly greased (I lined a cookie sheet with foil and then sprayed the foil) sheet. Brush the tops (lightly) with water. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.

Next time I make these we are going to make a buffalo chicken type filling. It's a general concept that could really be used with any type of filling.

If you want to see a picture of the finished product, check out my mobile uploads on my facebook page.

Pants On The Ground

I was reminded of this song today. Apparently properly wearing your pants around your waist is too difficult for my male students. I snapped. I should not be able to see the "fly" on your boxers. The back pockets on your pants should not be sagging down to the back of your knees. Why is it so freaking hard to wear them correctly? Here is what gets me, they all belt them at the sagging length. NO MORE KIDDO's! The suspenders are coming out tomorrow and I will make sure you look like Urkle. I don't care if you are uncomfortable, I shouldn't have to constantly remind you to pull your britches up! I come to work to educate, not run the risk of seeing your teenage anatomy!

Time to Rant

I read a friends facebook status the other day that talked about how she was sick of hearing people complain about what they didn't have. It didn't hit home until a recent conversation I had with an individual.

This individual was complaining about a lack of "cost of living" increase in her husbands pay for the 2011 year. I quickly said, "I haven't had a raise in 4 years, so I don't really see where you are coming from." She quickly got defensive and I just let the conversation drop.

The more I think about it the more upset I get. Shouldn't she be happy that both she and her husband (has a NICE, cushy, high paying job) have jobs? She doesn't have to work, she chooses to so that she has something to do on a daily basis. They just took a nice 2 week long vacation and are taking a cruise in June. The live in a nice neighborhood, drive new cars, and their children want for nothing. Shouldn't she be happy that she has that much? I think the reason I get so frustrated with her is because she was raised in a different social class and currently still is in a different social/financial class (of this I am not jealous, I truly think I am more grounded and "normal") and she just can't see things from another perspective. She has never had to budget, save up for something, wait for it to go on sale, etc.

I know that I am just as guilty of this, but I am trying to get that under control. I am thankful for what I have. Could we use some more comforts in our life? Some would argue yes, others would argue no. I am grateful to have a full time job with benefits that I love (most days). Would it be nice if Ayron had a full time job with a consistent pay check, sure. We are finding ways to make ends meet, so it's ok. Would it be great to be able to take a vacation, heck yes. But we find ways to make do with what we have (date night, close attractions, etc).

So this holiday season, stop focusing on what it is that you DON'T have and start looking at what you DO have. Do you have a roof over your head? Do you get to eat at least twice a day? Do you have a coat? Boots? Warm clothing? Do you have family that loves you? Why focus on the things you don't have, when you can look at the ways you have been blessed.

Jernigan Auctions and Real Estate

Ayron has recently began working for Jernigan Auctions and Real Estate. We have known the owner, Ryan Jernigan, for years (Ryan's mother's sister is actually married to Ayron's mom's brother...think about...draw a family tree if you are still confused).

Ryan, Ayron, and Ryan's brother are all graduates of Repert's School of Auctioneering and hold valid Indiana Auctioneer's licenses. Ryan is a licensed real estate broker and hopefully Ayron will be going to school to become a real estate agent. Ryan is also a licensed fire arms dealer.

If you are looking to sell or buy a house, antiques, guns, collectibles, tractors, arcade items, etc. Let Ayron know. He would be happy to hook you up!

Next Thursday they will be auctioning off a house in Kendallville at NO RESERVE!! They have an arcade auction scheduled for December 11th in Auburn, and a winter consignment and gun auction on the 18th of December.

Need to pare down on your belongings? Looking to find a great deal on an awesome Christmas present? Check out their website and call Ayron.

Ok, my shameless plug is now complete.

Early Nesting

I have been "nesting" for the past month. It is driving me crazy! I can only clean and re-organize my desk at work so many times. I have filed and refiled the same things in an attempt to calm my urges.

I have cleaned out TJ's closet, his dresser, his toys, and his book case. I have actually managed to find a desk under the pile of ruble in my home office. I made Ayron help me reclaim our hall closet. Ayron cleaned out and organized the garage and started working on the backroom this week as well.

I made a "to do" list around the house and am slowly working on that (paint touch ups, etc). The only thing left to do is conquer the closet in what will be Isabella's room (now we call it the office or the dog's room). This closet is FULL of craft supplies, scrapbook stuff, and books. I am afraid of what I will find in there! I hope to start this project sometime this weekend. My goal is to just pare down our belongings. If we don't use it on a daily basis, it's got to go.

I didn't start this freakish nesting phase with my first pregnancy till about week 38 (keep in mind I went to 42 1/2 weeks, so I had 4 1/2 weeks to freak out and clean). I reorganized the pyrex/mixing bowl cupboard about 4 times...which reminds me, I need to do that again.

My mind never stops! The problem is that the urge hits when I am at work. By the time I get home around 4ish, I have no energy to actually do anything. With the holiday season approaching and Ayron's new job (post about that later) taking off, we have very little time together on the weekends. Good thing I have till March to get this all done.

If anyone is looking for the perfect present for me, a maid would be awesome....I am totally joking...maybe.

Only My Mom

Last evening TJ and I had a "mommy and son" date night at home. Ayron was at an auction for work so TJ and I took the opportunity to hang out. I turned off the TV, and turned on the radio and we worked on some Christmas projects.

As we were cleaning up our mess, TJ ran into the living room to dance, did a funky move, and fell on his stomach. He came back into the kitchen and told me, "I hurt my tummy." I thought he fell on a toy and bruised himself. I gave it a quick kiss and sent him back to dancing.

About 20 minutes later my mom stopped by with a blood pressure cuff (thank you cruddy family genetics for my blood pressure issues). I had just taken the cuff off when TJ walked over to me and I noticed he was bright red. I thought maybe he was trying to poo. As I was getting ready to usher him into the potty, he spewed. I mean like a volcano (sorry if you have a weak stomach). My mom stood up, had a helpless look on her face and then just started to laugh. I am not kidding you. My mom, one of the most compassionate people on the earth, stood there and laughed as my son covered me in a pile of half digested cheese, bologna and crackers. I then began to gag (I was covered and SOAKED), which only caused my mom to laugh harder!

It took us both a minute to get our wits about us. I was finally able to stand up and usher TJ into the bathroom. Mom stripped us both down and threw us in the shower, the whole time, you guessed it, LAUGHING! I managed to send 2 texts to Ayron before getting in the shower informing him to get home quick and help! By the time we got out of the shower, Ayron was already home and cleaning up the mess. We did have one causality in the process, our satellite remote! We happened to have an old one and called dish network to have them walk us through programing it. The tech was like, "why not just use the old one?" Ayron said, "My son just puked all over it and frankly, I don't want to touch it." The tech said, "Oh.....gross."

We spent the rest of the evening (till close to midnight) trying to comfort TJ (who got sick 3 more times, but thankfully we were prepared and had a bucket right by him). I still can't believe my mom laughed. All she could tell Ayron was, "I just started laughing." Great mothering skills there mom :)