Dear Mother Nature

Dear Mother Nature,
Please check the calendar, this is not cool:

Please reconsider as it is only October in Maine. We usually have 6 months of winter, that is plenty. Please take pity.

Sincerely,

A cold, snowy, plow-widowed Mainer

Feeding my deers

I was so excited to hear my deer!



I mentioned a few weeks ago that we saw three deers (yes I know that the plural form is deer, but I like to say deers). in our backyard one night when I woke up in the middle of the night. Well, needless to say that got me overly excited and I decided to name them; Davide, Deliliah, and Dora Deer (cause of course their last name would be Deer)



The boys playing on the roof



About a week after the first encounter, Drew was playing on the roof with his BFF Brian. Brian's wife, Amy (my BFF) and I heard a ginormous animal rustling around in the woods. We were convinced it was a couger, but Drew was sure it was a buck, whatevs



Dinner for the Deers



Anyhow, after seeing my excitement Drew suggested that I feed the Deers in order to draw them out of the woods. I was game. Over the last week or so I have put squash, apple peels/cores, and the piece de resistance; apple crisp :) Now you're probably thinking WTH, why would she put apple crisp outside for deer? Well, I had an epic fail of an apple crisp (which is why I don't cook!) and it was, um, inedible... so rather than tossing it in the trash, I put it out for my buddies. Yes, I totally understand that by putting all this food out there I am encouraging other critters however, in my mind, the Deers get them first. I haven't seen my friends since that first night, but I've heard them several times as Drew and I have sat out on the deck with a deer call. Baby Dora makes the cutest little squeaking sound, ah-freaking-dorable! Hopefully my friends will venture out soon and not become victims to the overzealous hunters in the area.

It's Ok Thursday

I'm linking up again to say it's ok:

• To really just want to stay home, with my puppy and watch mindless television and read books all day every day...if that was a possibility, I would totally do it. Anyone know of a any paying jobs that allow me to do that?
• To find it funny that my dog LOVES oatmeal
• To find it even funnier that I gave her a piece of apple with caramel on it... she sucked off the caramel and spit out the apple... that's my girl.
• To be annoyed that my husband is dead inside. Oh how I wish he could just talk about his emotions...sigh.
• To dread that I have to get more blood work done again today... I'm so tired of the bruises on my inner elbow that look like I have some sort of drug problem... so not attractive!  

and finally, it's ok;

• To brag just little (okay, a lot) about the fact that yesterday, marked Drew and my 9-year anniversary. Yeah, that's right. NINE freaking years. How many 25-year olds can claim that? Yeah it's not all sunshine and daisies, but we love each other, we have a lot of fun, and we have created an amazing life together. I believe that deserves a little bragging.

9 years peoples... 9!

October 26th, 2002- Drew finally got the courage (after a lot of encouragement from my three best friends) to ask me out. That was nine years ago people. Nine! How many people at 25 can say they've been with their significant other for nine years?

 

Sorry, I'm bragging.

But I'm pretty sure I have every right. We've come a long way, been through a lot together, and most of the time we still kinda like each other. These days, that's a major accomplishment.

Now I would be celebrating today, but Drew informed me that since we got married we have a "new" anniversary that trumps the "old" one, and therefore it's not real anymore. Well boo to you Drew, boo to you. Fine, this isn't our 9 years of dating anniversary, it is our 2 years and 4 months wedding anniversary. So happy anniversary. I'm celebrating even if you're not!

Guess what I did today!

I rode one of these:



No joke. One of my 5th graders taught me how.


Okay, I need to backtrack a bit. I am "coaching" (I use that term lightly since I have to freaking idea what I'm doing 110% of the time, but I'm technically in charge) a children's... I guess you could call it a circus, or tricks team, I dunno what we really are. Basically it's this group that teaches kids to ride unicycles, juggle and do other random tricks that are really hard but look cool. Actually the team is pretty awesome and has been involved in national parades in D.C. and all kinds of other events.

So why the hell do they want me?

Cause I said yes!

Why the hell did I say yes?

Cause I'm crazy- and I get paid

I agreed to do it because it's one night a week, I get a stipend, AND it counts on my Reduction In Force (RIF) list for school. You know, those points that determine if I still have a job if we have budget cuts again... yeah, those same points that caused me to lose my job last June. To be honest, the main incentive for me doing it was the points. I like my job (actually I LOVE this new job) and I want to stay. The cash is just an added bonus.

Going into this, I knew nothing. Since I'm a klutz  mildly uncoordinated, I didn't expect to really do well. However I've surprised myself. This is week 2. So far I have learned to juggle 3 scarves, 3 balls (not for long, but I can still do it) and ridden 15 feet on a unicycle (with a 10 year old holding my hand, whatevs).

I really like this. I'm meeting new kids in my school who I would otherwise never come in contact with. I have 2 of my own students who love  the fact that they're teaching their teacher something (T taught me the unicycle, and was so psyched that she can tell people she taught me something new).

So yeah, I've got mad skills, but don't expect pix... that's so not happening.

A Conversation with a 10 Year Old

10 year old: Are you married?

Me: Yup, his name is Drew.

10 year old: Do you have any kids?

Me: Nope

10 year old: You should go out and get one of those.

Me: Oh? Are they stocking children at Walmart these days?

...apparently a trip to the store is in order.

WTF

 All week my students have been crazy. I get it, really I do. They have had NECAP testing all week (which means 2 hours a morning where they have to sit silently and either test or read) AND it's been raining. We've had inside recess 3 days this week. They're wound. Energetic. And Frustrated. I don't blame them All week it has been a battle to get them to do anything, to shut up, to listen. I was at my wits end. Today? Angels Each and everyone of them finished ALL of their make-up/late work from the week. Then I had kids clean my whole room, organize my bookshelf, fill my water mug, organize the art supplies and ask over and over what they could do to help me. I didn't ask them to do any of that.  Not that I'm complaining, but What the Friday?

It's Ok Thursday

 Last week's IOT was so much fun, and generated a few new followers and some nice comments, so I'm linking up again.

It's ok...

• To be sad that the baby deers the hubby used to see on the way to work every day are ::ahem:: missing

• To worry about the Facebook "friend" who posted about bringing her newborn to visit her dad, by "checking in" at the state correctional facility...sorry, not a place you should "check in" to

• To own pants that you button with a safety pin cause they're too big...And I'm ghetto like that

• Classy right?

• To be really disapointed when I realized that it's Thursday... not Friday. Will this week never end?

• To really love that the hubby took nose spray and wore a Breathe Right strip to bed last night because he kept waking me up with his crazy-loud snoring...I think he might love me or something.

Answers

Oh thank goodness you all didn't leave me hanging on that Q&A post there, I would have been devastated!

Question #1:KSK from The Real Housewife of H2oVille asked: "When and why did you start blogging?

I started in March of this year. I had been reading several blogs for a few months, but never really commented on them. There were some that I really connected with, so I created an account just to be able to do that. But then I realized I had a lot to say too, and Drew was tired of hearing all of it. I love having this place to vent, share, and remember all the things that are going on. I am blown away by how many people read this (holy monkeys, I have 83 followers!) and I love the support and love I get from my readers. It's hard to put myself out there, but every time I get a comment or an e-mail, it makes me love it even more!

Question #2: Emily from Nap Time is My Time asked: "What goals do you have for yourself in the next 5 years, and how will you accomplish them?"

Goals... bah-ha-haha-ha. Okay just kidding. I actually do have goals:

1) Become a mom. It's my lifetime dream/goal. It's all I've ever wanted in life and right now it's the one thing I can't have... so it's kinda killing me. Hopefully within the next 5 years we will be able to make this happen, I haven't given up hope yet.

2) Teach. I know it's not technically a goal, since I'm doing it now, but I hope 5 years from now I still love what I'm doing and I'm able to keep doing it (budget cuts are looming again, I'm hoping for the best)

3) Get my masters. It's something I've wanted to do since graduating from college, but with getting cut from my last school and being sufficiently lacking in cash flow, it just hasn't been feasible yet, I'm hoping to change that.

My way to accomplish them? Hard work and a little luck. I know what I want out of my life, I just have to figure out how to get it!

This is craziness!

Have you seen this:

It was on the Ellen show the other day. Holy crappola. This little girl (what is she, like 5? 6?) is amazing. One, she memorize this song... I don't even know what the hell Nicki Minaj is singing half the time, but this kid's got it. Two, her voice? It's crazy. And hilarious. And I had to share, because it blew my mind.

You also gotta love the blonde in this. Who is just kinda jamming out.

If I'm Gone and Q&A

KSK blogged today about he husbands mock (I hope!) death threats and it got me thinking (never a good thing!)

The thing I worry about is that if something bad WERE to happen to me. none of my blog readers would know. I mean it's not like Drew is going to log on and go "muah-ha ha ha, she's gone!" after burying me in the backyard. Or as if I can yell at the bus about to crush me to wait a second so I can blog about it. I mean if I were to fall off the face of the planet tomorrow, most of my readers would probably just assume that I got too busy or decided not to blog anymore...never knowing the true cause of my sudden disapperance... and that makes me sad.

On another note. I'm going to put myself out there. I've seen a lot of people do the whole "Q and A" piece on thier blog where they let followers ask questions and then answer them. It's always great because sometimes you just wonder these things about people, but they never blog about them. I've been wanting to do it for awhile, but being the self-depricating loser that I am, I've worried that if I opened this up for questions...no one would ask, and I would feel like even MORE of a loser. So here's the deal. Ask me anything. As long as it wont get me arrested, divorced or fired, I will answer honestly. And if a few days go by and no one asks anything, then I will just delete this post and we can all forget it ever happened...

Except I wont forget, I will harbor a deep and all-consuming resentment of the fact that I have 80 followers and none of them loved me enough to ask a question...so just keep that in mind before you hit the little "x" and leave this page. Seriously.

Guilt Plant

I kill plants. Plain and simple.


Not on purpose, I actually kind of like the green suckers... but something about me turns them off, and they commit plant-icide in order to get away from me. Last Christmas Drew's grandmother gave me an "unkillable even by Amanda" bulb that she swore would thrive under my black thumb. It's still alive (I think) but has never thrived or flowered...actually, I'm not sure where it is right now. Last I knew it was on the back porch, we had a frost last night...eh, I'm to lazy to go check on it (could be part of our issue).

Unfortunatly, an new green thing has entered our abode... and I'm not sure how he (yes, it's a "he") will fare.

Enter, the guilt plant:





This was a housewarming gift from my aunt, who explained to me that it was given to her by my great-grandmother years ago. My great-grandmother, who has since passed away, had grown this plant in my great-grandfather's barber shop for years. Thus, Guilt Plant has a lineage, and a history.

That is a lot of pressure to put on the black-thumbed. So somehow I have to keep this thing alive... and I worry about what will happen if I fail... will my great-grandmother's ghost come back to smite me? Will my aunt feel I failed? Ahhhh.... too. much. pressure.

Anyone out there want a plant? No idea what kind it is, but it's old and special... you just have to be prepared to bring it back anytime my aunt visits... any takers?

It's Ok Thursday

So Wednesday got by a little too fast for me, and I didn't get to do my usual "So What Wednesday" with Shannon... so I decided to link up with Neely and Amber to do It's Ok Thursdays... pretty much the same deal, just different day and host (sorry Shannon, loves you!)

It's ok:

• to find this season's Glee episodes a little... lackluster, and to debate about continuing to watch it
• to blog TWICE about a nasty bruise because I needed to share
• to skip bootcamp twice this week because the thought of lifting weights with that bruise in the crook of my elbow freaked me out, I won't even get into the morbid thoughts that went through my head
• to make my students silent read one (okay two) days this week because my lessons weren't ready
• to hate rainy days, because it means inside recess... with 23 ten-year-olds, in a room build for 18 kids max
• to be really sad that I lost a follower... and to wonder what I did wrong to make them leave me
• to be bothered by the fact that the "its" in "Its Ok Thursday" doesn't have an apostrophe... and it should, because it's not possessive, it's a contraction

What are you saying "It's Ok" to this week? Link up and share!

Search Keywords

I've seen these posts before, and they always make me laugh, so I decided to add my own. This is the list of google searches that have brought people to my blog.

Okay, so some of these legit make sense. Like the ones about Spain or using my URL... but others are just odd. Like "britt wear glasses"... huh? Or "little gym exposed" that makes no sense to me either. And how does "that we wanted" bring you... anywhere?

I guess mine aren't as funny as some, but they're rather random and it's weird to think that those keywords brought people to my blog.

Bruise update

Cause I know you were all dying to know (and cause I am a sick, sick person who likes to share these things) I decided to give you all an update on my sick-nasty bruise from last week.

This is what it looked like Thursday

Sunday

Today

For those who need a reminder, this puppy came complements of the phlebotomist at my doctor's office... impressive right? At first I just thought it was funny, whatever so I bruise easily. By yesterday though... I worried a little. Maybe this wasn't "normal", maybe something had gone wrong...

So I made a big mistake... I googled "huge bruise from blood draw"...DON'T google that! It made me feel queasy and even worse about the blood pooled under my skin.

At school today I decided to go don't to the nurse's office to get her take on it. First she laughed at my paranoia, but then she confirmed that the woman must have (stop reading now if you get queasy easily!) pierced straight through the vein then pulled back to get the blood she needed which caused me to hemorrhage into my skin (excuse me while I go throw up a bit). She recommended that I not lift any weights or exert my arm until it heals more because (depending on how much she tore it) it could cause it to reopen.

And now I need to stop, because I am making myself sick writing about this... and I feel like I need to go wrap something around it, cause it's freaking me out.