Holiday Traditions, continued

We did not get the tree up on Black Friday. I was not feeling well and had to pack for our trip up North. We're shooting for December 1, unless an offer for a real tree comes through.

Cold

Had to turn on the furnace last night. Brrr.

Today

I have baked :: one cherry pie and two batches of chocolate chip cookies.

I have cooked :: one delicious dinner - steak, potatoes, corn and pie for dessert.

I have organized :: one pantry, four cupboards and one bedroom.

I have also showered, taken the dog to the vet, and went grocery shopping.

I feel somewhat accomplished. I am dreading next week. Not ready to go back to school. Not ready for new schedules. Just plain not ready.

Two Dogs are in the Dog House

Aaron left just after 7 this morning and I stayed in bed for some shut eye, but then I got out of bed just before 8. I walked out to the kitchen and it looked like wild cats had attacked the trash as if it had been sitting out to the curb. The cats had nothing to do with it though. Two guilty dogs are whimpering in the bedroom.

Plastic bags, paper towels, containers, etc., but the worst of it is last night's bag of marinade - soy sauce and olive oil have painted a not-so-pretty picture on my baby pink kitchen rug. Previously, the dogs have decorated with Spaghetti Sauce. The rug has seen better days and I don't expect it to make a full recovery this time.

How could so much happen in such a short amount of time AND in between the constant barking at random things outside - a leaf, moving blade of grass, parked car, fence post, etc.

Garage Sale

I made $133.50 at the Garage Sale. Everything that is left over will be donated to GoodWill and every penny will be saved away for France!!

The weather dried up nicely on Friday and Saturday we closed early because of rain, that wasn't forecasted. I've got a lovely sun burn/farmer's tan that I'm recovering from. It is nice to have some color to warm up my wintry white skin.

Friday & Saturday Only

I'm having a Garage Sale this weekend. Lot's of big items that I hope to sell. I have a bunch of furniture, some kitchen stuff - glasses and dishes, place mats, decorative pillows, etc. I'm also going to bake a little tonight so I have cupcakes and lemonade to sell. Hoping to make some cash. I originally wanted to sell all of our kitchen dishes and buy a nice, beautiful white set but ... for now, I'm going to save whatever I make and put it towards our trip to France next summer!

Our friends, James and Adeline are getting married twice next year!! Here in the States in April and then in France in July. We're so excited to have such great friends and this travel opportunity. I've never traveled outside of the US before, so this sure will be a treat.

If you've traveled to France/Europe before, please share in the comments. I'm anxious to know where to go, what to see and do.

Sleep, It Escapes Me

Last night I didn't go to bed until 1 am. Sleep didn't come till after 2 and I was up before 7 am today. It's going to be a long day.

We lost power overnight, and the fridge is unplugged and empty. Our foodstuffs are in coolers keeping each other warm and toasty. Everything will need to be pitched. It makes my wallet ache. On a good note, the fridge repairman should be here today somewhere between morning and night.

Does anyone know why fridge is spelled with a D, but refrigerator lacks that letter?

:: Repairman got here and was a major tool. Charged us 218.33 for a new service board and the darn fridge is still not cold. Ugh!!

:: Repairman was back yesterday because the fridge was still warm. Total for two days was 271 USD. I really hope dinner tomorrow night is worth all this fuss.

:: Also, went to bed at 1 am. Another sleepless night. I have coon eyes right now, forgot to remove my makeup, and bedhed from tossing and turning. I suppose I should go shower, I'm resuming Saturday morning piano lessons at 9 am today. *Yawn.

*Yawn*

I'm so tired. For the past three nights, Cricket has been getting sick. She jumps off the bed, hurls three times and then jumps back into bed.

It hasn't even been a month since I had the carpets professionally cleaned. Now I've got neutral carpet with green bile circles. I'm sure that'll look great on the real estate listing.

Spring Break

I'm on break this week. Most kids are going away - Cancun, the Bahamas, etc. I'm at home, in NW Ohio, supposed to be catching up on school work, but playing housekeeper instead.

A and I cleaned out both livings rooms last night, in the middle of a storm system that was creating tornados. Ran the sweeper 10 million times between last night and this morning. The carpets and furniture will be cleaned today. Hoping to paint both living rooms by the end of the week. Maybe write some lesson plans and an ethnography paper too.

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Updated to add: The painting of the house will have to wait to summer. The walls have been stark white for six years, what's another couple of months?! Instead, I'll be doing this for the rest of the week:

• watch three movies, then write 10 pg. ethnography paper (in progress)
• 3 online discussions (2/3)
  
• write out my teaching philosophy (in progress)
  
• film and upload my teaching philosophy
  
• rate a website for tech. class (done)
  
• cognitive lesson plan (done)
  
• socio-emotional lesson plan (in progress)
• execute and reflect on lesson plans
  
• create, execute and reflect on prop box
  
• write a lesson plan for a different class (out of my hands, onto another group member)
• sub. on saturday
• host shower on sunday
• return to school on monday

Let it snow!!

So that I don't have to drive 40 miles to school in hazardous conditions.

BGSU cancelled classes till 1 pm.

BGSU cancelled classes till 5 pm.

Prof. cancelled 6 pm class.

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I dug out the sidewalk today, then snowblowed the six-car driveway, showered, grocery shopped, did laundry and dishes, napped and made dinner.  Way more productive than a regular school day.

Swing of Things

I started back to school yesterday. I suppose I wouldn't mind it so much if I didn't have to commute an hour. Going back five days a week this semester. So far, two of five classes require field hours. There just aren't enough hours in the day! This morning, I left at 6:30 am for an 8:30 class - I was so exhausted I barely could keep my eyes open.

Husband is no good at getting up in the morning. He likes to let his alarm go off forever, hit snooze a million times and stash the clock under the covers or pillows, etc. It is somewhat annoying, as I hop out of bed as soon as my clock goes off. I poke and prod, trying to get him up and out of bed, but it only makes him pissy. But let me tell you, waking up hours before I have to be up and then getting a cold shower doesn't do much for my cheery disposition.

Aaron's been up late every night and getting up early, lately. His first CPA exam is this Thursday. I hope this pays off and he passes. He feels pressured since two of the four new hires have passed all four sections ... on their first try.

Home Again ...

Home again, Jiggity Jig.

This weekend we traveled up north to visit with Aaron's family.  I snagged a hotel room for the weekend and we had plans to leave a day early to get some shopping in.  After our real estate appointment in Waterville - (Gorgeous house, just wish it were a bit bigger, as it's hard to downsize from 2280 sq. ft.) - and some lunch, we hopped on 23 North for our trip.  Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go.

Our unseasonably warm trip, 60* in December was also quite windy, and my little Honda didn't like the pressure.  With just a few more miles to go, I commented to my co-pilot that I was having trouble maintaining my lane.  I just thought it was windy and he told me to back it down.  So I merged to the right and took my exit over to the hotel.  

We checked in and settled down and decided to go shopping for the night.  However, we were greeted by a flat tire in the parking lot.  The sun had gone down and it had started to rain, and I was not in a pleasant mood.  I went in and called AAA, but there was no answer after holding for 10 minutes.  Aaron changed the tire and put the donut on, and we went shopping and out to dinner.  

The next day, we went up to Gramma's.  Uncle David went to patch the tire, but the tire was shot.  He took Aaron to Sear's - the ONLY place that was open on a SUNDAY, and purchased a new tire.  Thank you, Linda and David for the new tire - We appreciate your generosity.