I've been tagged!

FOUR JOBS YOU HAVE HAD IN YOUR LIFE
1. Bill collector/Skip tracer
2. Personal assistant to a writer
3. Daycare worker
4. Teacher

FOUR MOVIES YOU WOULD WATCH OVER AND OVER
1. Say Anything
2. The Princess Bride
3. Singin' in the Rain
4. Big

FOUR PLACES YOU HAVE LIVED
1. Stone Mountain, GA
2. Loganville, GA
3. Auckland, New Zealand (okay, it was only 2 months, but I had a job and I paid rent.)
4. Lilburn, GA

FOUR TV SHOWS YOU LIKE TO WATCH
1. House
2. Good Eats
3. American Idol
4. ????????

FOUR PLACES YOU HAVE BEEN ON VACATION
1. Myrtle Beach
2. Disney World
3. Oregon
4. Savannah, GA

FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY
1. two peas in a bucket
2. CKU-A Atlanta
3. comcast
4. ???????

FOUR FAVORITE FOODS
1. anything mexican
2. pesto
3. chocolate
4. ice cream

FOUR PLACES YOU WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
1. asleep in my bed
2. Eugene, Oregon
3. Bay of Islands, New Zealand
4. Destin, FL

FOUR FAVORITE BOOKS (it's hard to pick just 4!)
1. The Giver by Lois Lowry
2. Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner
3. Harry Potter series
4. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

My husband is my hero!

Zach sat down and recovered the pictures from my trip to Disney.
He RULES!

Here are some of my favorites:

Mom and me with the kids on Main Street U.S.A.

Melissa and the kids with "Polka Dot Princess" (according to Rachel, who just happens to be squeezing Minnie's nose, too.)

It was a fun, fun trip, and I am OVERJOYED that Zach was able to save my pictures!

Back from the Happiest Place on Earth!

What a great time I had hanging with the fam'. I wasn't sure what to expect... staying with the 5 kids, Marc & Melissa, and my Mom. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. Andy stuck to me like glue for the entire week. I got to know the twins and Rachel better. I got some quality time with Kristina, too. They are such fun kids... but I still want to know... how did my brother end up with 5 effin' kids????? By Thursday, I was EXHAUSTED! After a dip in the pool, I went up to my room to stretch out before dinner... make that breakfast! By the third time someone came to my room to wake me, I mumbled something about wanting to sleep, rolled over, and passed out for the night.

My xD card has decided to bite the dust, and we can't seem to recover pictures. I hope that we figure it out because I took a TON of AWESOME pictures, and I don't want them lost and gone forever. I hope Zach can figure it out.

I guess it's back to reality now. Back to work. Fortunately, it's only a 4 day week. Friday, pre-Easter, is a school holiday. Thank goodness!

last one for today... promise!

Found this fun meme on Marianne's blog... thought I'd try it!
You say, I think...

1. Glass castle: Jeannette Walls -- reading her book right now

2. Preserved: older women my mom would always say looked "well preserved."

3. Jealousy: That song... by??? "Hey Jealousy"

4. Territory: Canada, Northwest

5. Coffee: my childhood best friend's mother would say in her British accent, "You fuh coffee?" when asking if you wanted some coffee.

6. Stephen: Sondheim

7. Slut: tramp, whore

8. Dynamic:For some reason, "The Ambiguously Gay Duo!" came into my head.

9. Daybreak: "Mine is the sunlight, Mine is the morning..." the song "Morning Has Broken"

10. Dew: Mountain Dew

WATCH OUT ORLANDO...

HERE I COME!

Tomorrow Mom and I head down to WDW -- the happiest place on Earth. We spend a week with M&M and the kids (all *5* of them) playing with Mickey and his friends. I can't wait! Disney is my most favorite place in the lower 48. Can't wait to ride the rides and hug the characters and watch the kids' faces. Shannon, Eddie, and Rachel have never been! I feel so lucky to be part of their first visit!

Best Friends

Mandy, Chance, and Billy chillin on the couch last night.

What would life be like without them? Pretty boring! I just LOVE these people (fur people included). It's always so great to just sit and talk... have some time together to reconnect, laugh, and share life stories. Add dinner, some drinks and 40 mini-chocolate chip cookies -- and you have the perfect night! In the proverbial words of Billy, "If these cookies are wrong, then I don't want to be right!" Love that guy!

Zach's Birthday Weekend

We had such a great time in Cloudland Canyon State Park, camping and celebrating Zach's 29th birthday. In 10 years, we have never camped alone together. This year, for my birthday, Zach bought me a tent. So, now we have no excuse! This trip was lots of fun, except for the freezing rain on Sunday morning. Kharma loved being able to run around -- she loves to go on hikes!

Some highlights:

Kharma, enjoying her hike

Zach and me in front of the waterfall

The waterfall at the bottom of the canyon.

Our Saturday night campfire

I think we did pretty well for our first trip out. We didn't forget anything too important... except that I forgot to pack underwear! Ridiculous! Fortunately, I was able to wash the pair I brought in the shower room. Then I let them dry by the fire. I didn't do too badly "roughing it." And, surprisingly, I can't wait to go again!

Such a fun night!

I love, love, love my family. It is amazing to me how people come into our lives and they become family. Regardless of who your parents are or what your last name is, we are family.

We celebrated Zach's 29th birthday last night with M&M and the kids, Mom & Dad, and Billy & Mandy. My family. These people that make me feel good to be alive, where I know it is safe to be me, where I am at home.

I think the best way to sum all of it up is in pictures. Enjoy!

Zach and Andy playing on the Gameboy. Andy relishes this time with Zach -- in his eyes, the video game guru.

Mandy hangin' with Rachel... or, perhaps it's the other way around... I love that smile on Rachel's face!

Melissa and Kristina... enjoying some cake.

Mom, explaining something VERY important, I'm sure... she's recently lost like 30 pounds. She looks amazing!

Shannon chillin' on my lap. She's a total snuggle bug... sometimes to the point of being extremely annoying. But, being the doting aunt I am, I indulge.

It's too bad that Eddie wasn't there to join us. He was hanging with his other Grandma and his cousin last night. It's weird only having pictures of 4 of the 5 kids. Oh well... maybe next time.

The Moose

I just had to share this picture of Xerxes. Somehow, Zach and I started called him "Moosey" -- probably because, at the time, he was a total fat-ass! Most everyone else, including his favorite Aunt, calls him Xerxs (pronunced Zerks).

This is so typical of him -- the king on the arm of the couch... just chillin' on a Sunday morning.

The flowers are in bloom!

I can't believe that Spring is here! It is only the second weekend in March, and Spring has come to Atlanta FULL ON! Zach got some great pictures of our camellia and crocuses. The tulips are starting to sprout as well as the bearded iris. This is the first year that we've planted flowers. In the past it's just been bushes and vines. I'm so excited to have flowers adorning the front of my house!!


I can't wait for the iris and tulips! Wait, didn't I already say that? It's true! I'm soooo excited!

Back from NYC

I had such a great time in NYC!!! I was a bit worried about spending so much time with two of my co-workers -- we haven't always gotten along so well -- but it all seemed to work out!

I was up there for 7 days for a Teachers' College/Columbia University Mini-Institute on Reading Workshop. Esther paid for us to stay over the weekend so that we could visit a school on Monday. It was COLD! But we had fun, anyway.

Trip highlights:
1. Lucy Calkins' keynote on day one: I still squeak when I first see her.
2. Finally getting down to business with those coworkers -- and seeing that we all have the end in mind, we are just coming from different perspectives.
3. Getting the chance to see Lyn and the girls. I miss them!
4. Shopping on Canal Street -- I am the QUEEN of bargaining! I got my Coach-ish purse for only $20... already have had a bunch of comments on how cute it is.
5. Seeing The Lion King. Such fun! WOW! Sat in Row N on the aisle, so I felt like I was in the middle of the action. The guy who played Simba was one HOTTIE!
6. Hanging with Pam. She is the coolest 60 year old I know!
7. Subway riding. OY! It was great... and crowded... and fun... and crowded!
8. Lunch in Little Italy. 'Nuff Said.
9. Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum w/Tamika. SOOOO much fun!
10. The Empire State Building. Even though it was butt-ASS cold outside, we did go onto the Observation Deck. Amazing Views.
11. Tequila shots with the girls.
12. Coming home... warm weather, zach, my bed!

Some pictures:

Our Morning Stop and lunch in Little Italy

Madame Tussaud's

Lyn and me at the top of the Empire State Building...

and my really cute Coach-ish bag.

Did I mention that it was COLD???

Back in the Saddle Again

So, I've been really bad about blogging as of late. It seems I've been really bad about a lot of things: cleaning my house, keeping in touch with my family, watching what I eat.

In the spirit of perfectionism, I am back to it... going to make it better this time.

Here is the challenge from burberrygirl on 2peas:

What would you do if you won a million dollars? pay off debt -- mine and my family's then set up a scholarship fund for my students
What would you do if you have no children? (for those who doesn't, just think reverse) I'm looking forward to having children -- I can't wait! It is going to be life changing. I guess, I would work part time and do all I could to make the child's life the best possible.
What would you do if you are the president of the United States? reform education
What would you do if you skip a meal? not sure about this one...
What would you do if you are in your ideal weight? (let's face it, who ever is?) when I get there, I am going to have my bellybutton pierced
What would you do if you could meet anyone you want and who would that be? this is really quite un-profound, but I want to meet Ben Folds and just hang out, talk, and make music with him
What would you do if you are famous? provide an excellent role model for children
What would you do if you are a "scrapbooking celebrity"? travel the world
What would you do if you could change anything in the world? find a new president, thus ending the war in Iraq and the war at home in the wake of Katrina
What would you do if you don't scrapbook? read a lot more and write a book

What does your family do that you won't?

I find myself asking this question more and more lately. Two incidents have brought it up again:

1. My 10-year-old niece was caught signing her mother's name to a failing paper sent home by the teacher.

2. My 6-year-old niece and nephew (adopted, not twins) were kicked out of swimming lessons because they misbehaved and stirred up the whole class. Kicked out. Not just asked to sit by the side of the pool or leave for the day. Kicked out. Permanently.

Here's that question again: What have my brother and sister done to raise their children that I will not do? How will I do things differently?

So far my answers include, but are not limited to:
1. Limit TV time. There will be a TV in my house, but it will not be on all the time, nor will it be the video babysitter. We will not have cable. I said as much to my sister, and her statement was, "But I like my music." Buy an ipod. Get Sirius. Then, get serious!

2. My children will not get everything they ask for. Heck, they might even have to -- get this -- WORK a little bit before getting it. I have never seen so many children with so much. All 7 of my nieces and nephews have everything they want. They ask. They receive. I wish my life was so easy!

3. I will not question my husband in front of my children. Both sets of parents do this -- talk about damaging to their children. Then the kids think THEY can question their parents or that one parent has more control than the other. If we don't present a united front and act as a team, raising the children together is pointless. We may as well live in different houses in different states and share the children by the week.

4. My children will know that their father is the most important person in my life. I have seen this with my siblings, and more recently a close friend. As soon as children came along, their partner became second fiddle. I'm sorry, but I always knew that my mother was #1 to my father. I felt loved. I felt safe. But I was not the most important person in my parents' lives. The universe did not revolve around me. I grew up to be a normal, well adjusted human being. My children will, too.

In some ways, I hate it that I have to watch my brother and sister raise their children, but in other ways, it is good for me. Zach and I can really decide what we want to do and try it out. Learn from the mistakes of those who have gone before us.

And, in case you're wondering, I DO have baby fever! Just a few more months and several more pounds, and we can begin thinking about it!

James Frey on Oprah

"I don't think it is a novel," Frey said of his book, which had initially been offered to publishers, and rejected by many, as fiction. "I still think it's a memoir." --ABC News


Wow. I was so moved by this book. Correction. I am moved by this book. I have recommended it to many people. I picked it up because it made such an impact on Mandy. She and I raved about it so much that Zach wants to read it. I gave it to my mother-in-law to read. It was that powerful.

So, what do I think about this "controversy?" Well, this is what I teach my students: Writers sometimes make things up to make their stories more interesting. When I am writing dialogue, I don't always remember the exact words that I said or that were said to me. I may not always get it in the right order, but it's my memory and my story -- that's what is most important.

A Million Little Pieces was not touted as an autobiography. Frey and the publishing house called it a Memoir. It is Frey's memory of what happened to him in the days leading up to, during, and after his recovery. The man was on how many different kinds of drugs and addicted to alcohol! How could all of his memories be completely accurate?

In truth, I'm disappointed in Oprah for the way she handled the negative press. Make a statement. Be done. Don't call the man on to your show and then make an ass out of him on national television. The poor man sat there like a child answering to an angry parent. Yes, Oprah has a right to be angry. But the way she handled it was just a bit much for me. Please. It's a book. It's not her entire career.

I will continue to argue this point: if the book touched you, if it made you think or see things in a new light then it did its job. Novacain, weeks in jail, and the manner in which Lilly committed suicide are small details compared to the mountain that Frey overcame.

I still love the book. I still recommend it.

in-FLU-en-za

This sucks!
<----- This is the flu virus.

Yes, I have the flu. No, I didn't get a flu shot. Yes, I feel dumb. No, it wasn't a very smart idea.

But, here I am. Currently it's 3:45 A.M., and I am awake. Wide awake. I went to the doctor on Wednesday A.M. with a fever of 100.1, chills, and aches all over. My nose hasn't stopped running.

Have you ever had a flu swab? Not a pleasant experience. The tech came in (after the doctor informed me that I would need one) with a long cotton swab like the ones they use for strep tests. Here I'm thinking -- this is easy -- just open up and say aah! So, I asked, "throat?" Her answer, "No. I have to swab your nose." Okay, I'm thinking, a little swipe around the nose, not biggy. Yeah. She didn't say she'd be scraping my sinuses! Alright, it wasn't that bad, but it was pretty heinous. I kept moving my head back as the swab protruded further. Stop moving! she said. Yeah, let me put this thing up your nose until your eyes water and then tell YOU to stop moving.

Soooooo, here I am, out of work until Monday. This is a really bad thing. My poor student teacher, Suzanne, is busy working her butt off --- and not really ready to take over the class. My students are total jerks when I'm not there -- typical, but wrong. And there is sooooo much that needs to get done! On top of all that, I've already missed 2 and 1/2 days this month. WAY not cool.

I guess I'm going to just stick it out. Take my medicine. Eat soup. Drink juice. And use this time to lose more weight.

Hugh Laurie in February's Oprah and Books...

Okay. I'll admit it. I'm addicted to House. I LOVE Hugh Laurie. He's handsome and funny and has a great American accent... though I prefer his real accent any day.

So, you can imagine my excitement when I saw that February's issue of Oprah featured "Books that Made a Difference to Hugh Laurie." As I was reading his comments, this really struck me:

...Then there are the books that shine in my memory, milestones along the horizontal course of my life. I remember not just the books themselves, but the chair that I sat in, the shoes I wore, the woman I loved, what song was on the charts at the time. None of which makes them good books, exactly, although all of them are -- it just means that they are mine. They really happened.

Amazing. This statement speaks to me on so many levels... first, my own love of books and the places that they take me. Sitting on my sister's lap, reading The Night Before Christmas. Talking with my friend, Chrissie, in 6th grade about Homecoming and Dicey's Song. Sitting on the bay in Auckland, reading the His Dark Materials series. The breakfast at Mel and Todd's when we talked about The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. It's amazing how books take me back. Wayne's screaming sarcasm as we discussed The Time Traveler's Wife. Defining moments. Memories. Steps along the "horizontal course of life."

And now, this is what I want to give my students. I want them to remember the first time we read Skippyjon Jones. I want them to feel what Tomie felt as we read The Art Lesson and what Trisha felt when we read Thank You, Mr. Falker. Books hold so much more than characters and plot.

It's a love affair I just can't shake.

Another Meme challenge from 2Peas

List 10 things that bring you comfort:

1. being wrapped in a hug from Zach
2. my pillow
3. Luna purring in my ear at night
4. the smell of my mom
5. pajama pants
6. warm socks
7. the afghan zach's mom made for us
8. conversations with Mandy
9. dinner with my family (parents, brothers, sisters, nieces & nephews)
10. chocolate (although I'm really trying to break this one!)

I am the happiest woman alive!

Yesterday, Zach put in the new dishwasher! I have been hand-washing our dishes since before Christmas. Yes, I know that there are worse things in life, but it makes me so very happy that we now have a dishwasher. I'm an insanely busy person, and the dishwasher is just one convenience item that I cannot live without.

2Peas Meme Challenge: Rejecting Perfection

What a great idea! Growing up, I felt I had to do everything perfectly. Yet, I was so incredibly IMperfect.

So, here are my five... If I didn't have to do it perfectly, I'd try:

1. auditioning for a musical
2. sewing a quilt
3. ice skating
4. baking and decorating a wedding cake
5. professional photography

A Very Kharma Christmas

I know that these are a bit late, but I finally downloaded them from the camera. Here are some fun pics of my baby girl opening her Christmas present from her Oregon "grandparents." This is only her second Christmas, so she's still learning how to open her gifts. She did a great job!