left-handed knitter navigating the world

progress

2012-01-29T21:41:00.000-08:00

Well, the hubs was released from the hospital on Thursday early in the evening. I had just parked in front of our apt with my late lunch/early dinner when he called saying they wanted to release him already. Sigh. Apparently, he had some sort of bacterial infection so they sent him home with a script for an antibiotic which he has to take for one week. The kids were so worried about him! Everyday they would ask me if he had left the hospital yet. One of my kids even gave him a get well card. So sweet. Here's the front:

And here's the inside (minus the writing on the inside).

She colored Snoopy and everything. Teehee. He loved this card because amongst family he was known as Joe Cool. So when he took the card out of the envelope, his immediate response was, "That's me!"

I got some knitting done. Sock #1 is nearly finished. I am about half an inch or less to the toe decreases now.

And here's my shawl. Though there has been a bit more progress than in the picture.

The other shawl still looks about the same so no new pictures of that one.
Oh, one of my bosses gifted me with this:

She said it's a cell phone carrier. She said when she saw it, she thought of me. Not sure yet what I'm going to use it for because as anyone knows that either has kids or works with them, those lil suckers are gonna be sticking their dirty little fingers in it 24/7!!!!! If you're not quite sure what it's supposed to be, it's a sweater.
Yesterday, I was gifted with these:

The hubs felt inclined to thank me for being there for him. Wasn't that nice? This is the first time I've ever received an arrangement where each flour was in its own little vase. It's cool.
Last night was my long awaited Kindergarten Parent Mixer. 12 families showed up. My assistant suggested we do a little show so the kids had to perform. They were great though. And they were so cute in their fancy clothes. I didn't even tell them to dress up. They just felt like it. Most of them came all gussied up and a couple didn't. They read from their poetry journals and they said what their favorite thing about school was. They were also supposed to do an impromptu dance party but they were already a little psycho crazy before we did the actual performance and I didn't want anyone falling off the stage. That would have been bad. We'll see if we plan another one. I think if we do another one, it might be a publishing party of some sort. :)

Sigh..

2012-01-24T22:41:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought things were sort of normalizing, we get slammed again. The hubs was taken to the ER this morning while I was at school. I was told it was pneumonia but when I got to the ER, the lady at registration asked if he was having chest pains. He will spend the night there. It isn't the flu. They've done blood cultures, taken a blood gas, and did some nasal swabs. They're not quite sure what he's got yet. And to top it all off, he just started classes this week. Tomorrow is his second day of his English class and Thursday night is his first class meeting for his other class. I have emailed both professors. Hopefully he won't get dropped from the Thursday night class. Maybe he'll be released by then.

pictures!

2012-01-22T21:04:00.000-08:00

As promised, here is my finished moss grid towel:

And here is my henslowe so far:

here's a close up:

Here's my first pair of socks for the year:

This is the front.

This is the back.

And here's my other shawl that I cast on for:

Here's all three:

keepin' busy

2012-01-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't been blogging but I have been reading and knitting! I just finished Summer and The City in record time and am hoping that there will be a third book in the series. Earlier this week, I cast on for not one but three different projects. Two shawls and one pair of socks. I had wanted to begin the new year with a cardigan but I couldn't select a pattern that I really want to work on. I do want to do more cardigans/sweaters for myself this year though since I feel like I am exhausting the world of shawls. I was surprised that I even found any shawl patterns that I wanted to knit. I am getting close to the time of needing to branch out to other more challenging projects. Though I do love the challenge of trying to make 12 shawls this year. I completed my first project of 2012. Pictures of everything to come tomorrow (I hope).

I've cracked the code!

2012-01-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last two days watching youtube videos of how to make a ~~frickin'~~ crochet ripple. Today I watched:

and the next two videos that followed in this series. It didn't help. First I sort of needed to get down the whole single crochet and double crochet idea. What is up with all the yarn overs? The weird part is another video, there was a YO before every chain and in the one I finally got she only did YO's after picking up the chain she was going to work.

The video that finally taught me how to do the crochet ripple is this one:

Here's how my trial run went:

My hand hurts though and I only cast on 34 sts. Imagine when I make my actual blanket. Ay yi yi. I'm just relieved I finally figured it out. :)

While I was uploading the pics of my baby ripple, I found some pics of the baklava bars and the peppermint bark my sis and I made sometime last week.

The phyllo dough crust was the best part of the baklava bars. I think next time, I might half the recipe. I couldn't even finish this batch! My sister ended up taking half of it with her to Chicago. The bark came out well too-aside from the cheap candy canes we had to use (which weren't very pepperminty). I can't remember which recipe we used. Link to come.

I used to be and now I am

2012-01-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

Meri shared this post on her blog and it made me think back to my graduation day at Mills College.

My cohort and I composed a group 'I used to be and now I am' and we each contributed a line. I wanted to create my own I used to be but now I am so here goes..

I used to be someone who could depend on her parents and now I am someone who depends on friends that have become my new family.

I used to always see the best in my parents and now I am someone who sees them for who they really are.

I used to worry about the future and now I am someone who takes each day as it comes.

I used to be a perfectionist (damn you Type A!) and now I am someone who is just pleased to get anything done, period.

I used to go out of my way to help people even when they didn't ask for it and now I know better.

I used to want it all and now I am grateful for the things that I already have.

I used to have to make dinner every night after a long day at work and now my hubs is in charge of dinner!

I used to think I could catch up on the rest of my life during days off from school and now I have realized that is getting to be impossible!

I used to go shopping all the time and now I'm lucky if I can go shopping at all.

I used stick to the plan and now my new mantra is it'll get done when it gets done.

I used to be high strung (really!) and now I am easy-going, mellow, and (kind of) fancy free.

What did you used to be?

the UNTHINKABLE

2012-01-05T15:09:00.000-08:00

happened earlier this morning. Remember those narratives I have been complaining about and procrastinating about for the last month? Well, I was working on my third to the last one (25 pages worth of a Word document). And guess what? I hit save, and all of a sudden, I had FIVE HUNDRED pages of gobbledygook. It kind looked like this:

link

Though my gobbledygook had bigger gaps in between and you could make out some sentences but only bits and pieces of them. Pretty much all of it was gone. The first thought that came to mind (obviously) was that I was screwed. These narratives are due next Wednesday. They are supposed to be printed and ready to go out in the mail on January 11th. No lies. Second thought was, "How in the hell am I going to type 23 narratives in 5 days?" Then I thought, "I'll just go to the Mac store and they'll fix it." Sigh.

link

Then I thought I'd google to see if I could fix it on my own. As it was, I had been receiving errors from my Microsoft Word while working on these narratives. I kept getting this error about the AutoRecovery not being able to save to its normal destination. At some point, I changed the destination to my desktop. Guess what I was doing right before the 500 pages of gobbledygook appeared? Oh, deleting the autorecovery file and EMPTYING my trash!!!!!! So I tried to remember how I went in and changed all the requirements or whatever for Word. Couldn't find it. Then I typed in AutoRecovery. Long story short, I found my document!! Thank you Mac Forums. :) You saved my life. I have two more to write and then I am home free. I am going to celebrate by trying to figure out how to double crochet so that I can learn how to make my own crochet ripple blanket. Oh and I just might get back to my knitting.

hello 2012!

2012-01-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

I spent much of today decluttering. I put away some of the Christmas decorations (though not all of them)! I read a bit. I started three different books! I wasn't sure which one I would like most so I figured start all of them and see which one I get into more. I have only one week left of winter vacation. I need to get in as much reading as I can this week! The narratives are still waiting to be finished. I was supposed to have been working on them over the last few days. HA. That SO didn't happen. I've found other ways to occupy my time. Like spend an entire afternoon watching season 5 of How I Met Your Mother. I know, they're in season 7 now. I don't care. I like being behind! I've got my blog reading down to only about 11 posts. All the new calendars are up. I have letters that need answering and I must get to those before the end of the week. So much to do, and yet very little desire to get some of those things done (namely my narratives!). Maybe when the hubs goes to work tomorrow I'll be able to work on them. I'm much too distracted in our new home than I was at our last place. Oh well. Life goes on and those blasted narratives will eventually get done. They've gotta get done-they're due when I go back to school. :P

finished knits of 2011

2011-12-31T02:35:00.000-08:00

This year, I didn't complete as many projects as I have in the past. Damn school! I made my first vest for the hubs this year and I made 11 shawls in 2011. For 2012, I intend on attempting to make 12 shawls. I also want to make more fingerless mitts. I might also finally venture into making myself a cardigan that I can actually wear.

Year in Review Meme

2011-12-30T00:54:00.000-08:00

I think about doing this every year but I only remember to do it a handful of times. So here's this year's review of the first sentence of my first blog posts for each month of this year:
January: I stayed up super late this morning (aside from watching a bad lmn movie on demand-which actually wasn't TOO bad!) to do a little work on my sister's hat.
February: I've been trying to figure out what I have been up to while I haven't been blogging.
March: The hubs and I had to make a last minute trip down to LA for the weekend.
April: As a Kindergarten teacher, alphabet recognition is something I have sort of been fighting with during the course of my first year at my new school.
May: This is how she entered the world.
June: It was sooooooooooo much fun and I ate way too much junk.
July: At Boxland, I raved about all the cool rocks I was buying up.
August: There have been many knitting-related stumbles while I've been away!
September: Well, we are finally out of our old apt and in our new one.
..skipped October...oh no!
November: I really have had every intention of blogging but time keeps escaping me.
December: just wanted to stop by and mention that i'm slowly but surely getting caught up on my blogs.

It kind of seems as though I tended to blog on the first day of most months. Maybe for 2012 that's what my goal should be!

hiding out

2011-12-27T20:25:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm supposed to be working on narratives but I have been more interested in doing other things. Mostly I had to make sure I completed my 11 shawls for 2011 and I did. I just left my calendar with all my dates at home. I've finished two books (one just today!) and I even answered a letter late last night! I haven't been neglecting my narratives completely though. I'm about halfway finished (about). I have at least a week and a half to completely have them finished. I'm just feeling so uninspired.
My sister arrived the day before Christmas Eve. We baked cookies on Christmas Eve. We made lace cookies (which were delicious though not the definitely not enough cookies!), chocolate covered peanut butter balls, and brown butter toffee cookies (can't find the exact link). We were supposed to make some other cookies but might not get to those until we are back at our own home. (We are dog sitting again!).
The hubs made Christmas dinner (with the help of my sister) and it was delicious. *Apparently so delicious that no photos were taken for posterity's sake! And we now know why you're supposed to get up at about 6 in the morning to have dinner prepared. We didn't eat until about 11pm! lol. We still have TONS of food too. Everything turned out really well (everything that was actually cooked). We still have green bean casserole that wasn't made or candied yams! teehee.
Okay now for shawl pictures. :) They've all been done for a while. I just hadn't had time to have the hubs take pictures of them all.
First up is the forest ridge lace shawl which has been finished since last month. This photo is not true to color though.

Next up is shredded. It was in the bind off that I ran into some problems. Oh well, too late to turn back.

And here is silver fox (just thought of that name right now!). Here she is blocking.

A close-up of blocking.

Fully blocked and not true to color. I'd say that the blocking shots are a bit truer to color. Though these last two shots helped me come up with the name!

And finally, purple majesty. Here she is blocking.

Another blocking shot--pardon the bad coloring. It was difficult to get it to even look purple!

Isn't she pretty?

I also finished up a cocoon me cowl. Though no pictures yet as it is still blocking. Though I do have flower pictures! Our Christmas cactus finally bloomed. It only ever has had one flower and this one decided to open up on Christmas Eve day. :)

And here's one of the orchid we got back in March. I'm surprised it's still living. I'm even more surprised that it sprouted another branch with all these buds that are actually opening up!

If you don't hear from me again before the new year, I hope everyone has a good one and I'll see you next year. ;)

psst..

2011-12-01T20:04:00.000-08:00

just wanted to stop by and mention that i'm slowly but surely getting caught up on my blogs. I am down to 36 posts from about 120! :) i'm even caught up on emails! here's to getting all caught up on my blogs, getting my christmas cards done (ha!) and making a dent in my letter pile. :)

recipes galore!

2011-11-28T20:31:00.000-08:00

The blog posts that are waiting to be 'read' in my google reader aren't all actual posts. Some are recipes, some are crafts, and a bunch are teachery posts (my latest addiction). I've gotta tell you, those teachers that blog about their classroom and the activities they do with their students are awesome. They even create FREE stuff. I love them. :)
Anyway, I wanted to share some recipes that were in my reader for today (that way I don't add to my ever growing queue!). Here's one for latin beef stew (which is kinda weird because the hubs wanted to make a stew last night and whipped up his own version of one. This one sounds pretty tasty. Maybe next time. This next one just seemed really cute. Who can turn down a snowman cupcake??
My sister and I always make a batch of cookies for Christmas. Though she has been venturing into the bar territory for a while now. In any case for you holiday cookie bakers, I saw this and this. I've become a fan of fudge-like cookies in the last couple of years (they're so moist!). And brown butter? I've only used this for ravioli, never baked with it. Oh, and we are fans of toffee in cookies. I used to bake a toffee chocolate chip cookie. We don't have any 'regulars' that we make each year. It's always something different. Though there is always some variation of a chocolate chip/oatmeal (how can you not?).
As an added bonus, here is something non-food related but so frickin' adorable!! They are going to look so cute on a tree! Enjoy.
As an aside, we have been asked if we would be interested in dog sitting again. This time for TEN days. (I must be crazy, right?) My eyes bugged out! My boss said we could possibly split up the time (with someone else) which made it sound more doable. So we agreed to committing to the Christmas Eve through the 29th. My sister will be in town so she can spend a night over there too.

P.S. I couldn't resist. We had some leftover bananas and I am not a fan of squishy bananas. In fact, I specifically seek out the bananas that are still a little green because I like them firm. Well, the hubs wanted to make some banana bread. He already made some of the BEST ever zucchini bread over the weekend for a work holiday party and tonight, he made the perfect banana bread ever. :) Enjoy! The crust itself is awesome. Excuse the bad macbook pic! I was going for efficiency.

the knits

2011-11-27T07:22:00.000-08:00

Before the move, I had cast on for a handmade kitchen towel. It is still a wip. I think I am nearly halfway finished though.

It is the moss grid towel from Mason-Dixon knitting.
Let's see, I worked on a shawl while I was in Long Beach. I didn't finish it until this month though.

It is the Forest Ridge Lace Shawl. It's currently blocking so this is a pre-block shot.

The next finished item was the sock yarn baby sweater.

I also just finished a tattered shawl the other night. No pics yet. Especially since I totally screwed it up. I have way more dropped stitches than I was supposed to. Oh well.
I've got to get cracking in the shawl dept. Here I thought I was up to 10 shawls. HA. Boy was I ever wrong. I am only up to 9 shawls so I am 2 shawls shy of completing 11 shawls this year..and I only have ONE more month!! Must. Get. Crackin'. As if I'm not already behind on a bazillion other things!

Long Beach

2011-11-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

Well, at the end of September, I, along with a few of my colleagues road tripped down to Long Beach for some professional development. I was going to get to meet Constance Kamii! I also got to meet Louise Derman-Sparks. Of course to most of you, neither one of these great women are of any relevance to you. They mean a lot to me and it was an honor to be in their presence. Constance Kamii I first encountered while I was in grad school working towards my teaching credential and my MA in Ed. She was the author of one of my texts that I had to read for my Mathematics in Elementary Education class. Never did I think I would ever get to meet her! Louise Derman-Sparks I first encountered before I even began working on my teaching credential. I was teaching preschool and taking the basic core curriculum. She is the author of the well-known (at least if you have an Early Childhood Education background!) Anti-Bias Curriculum.

I carpooled with my former director now just friend. :) We took many a pitstop. In fact, she took pictures of me at nearly all the bathroom stops while it was still light out so that we could show my students! One stop was at the Madonna Inn which the hubs and I would drive by ALL the time whenever we'd take the 101 to and from LA. This is right outside of the restaurant entrance. Isn't it pretty?

This thing is a doll suspended from the rafters surrounded by 'tree branches' filled with blossoms.

Very Beauty and the Beast, don't you agree?

Here's a blurry shot of the bathroom stall!! lol.

Here's a shot of the banister on the way down to the cellar.

And I guess that's all I took of the Madonna Inn. Apparently the rooms are themed too. Maybe one day I'll get to stay in one. ha!

The last few shots from my trip are of the charter school we got to visit while we were down in SoCal.

Every morning as I walked there (our hotel was practically next door), I thought, "I could work here.."

While we were down in SoCal, I did get to catch up with my very wonderful friend that is still the office manager at my old school. We did dinner in Pasadena. Too bad I wasn't in town longer. I'm not sure when I'll be going down to SoCal again. I thought that my sister would want to go down for New Year's (which has been her pattern for the last few years) but she has no desire to spend NYE with her LA friends. Whodathunkthat?!

my life..since you last heard from me

2011-11-25T20:05:00.000-08:00

October was my month of home visits. This year, I succeeded in getting to visit every single one of my students' home. I think the home visit tends to bring the child closer with his or her teacher. I'm still on the fence about whether I prefer conducting the home visit before school starts or a month into the school year. It's would be more difficult to do them before school started at my current school because our class lists are so unstable. We don't know who is really going to be in our class until the first day of school so I don't even bother with making name tags or anything until after the first week!
I also was spending some time volunteering for the Reggio exhibit that was here in town. Veteran's Day weekend, I spent at the exhibit for a day and a half of professional development.
These last few weeks my class has been rehearsing for its very first school-wide assembly. I had discovered that Hickory Dickory Dock is a full on song SO I decided that this was what my children were going to tackle for our first assembly. Boy was it a lot of work. It didn't help that we had the first two Fridays of this month off (because that gave us EXTRA time to have to practice). In the end, it turned out better than I had imagined. Yay for them! They were SO proud of themselves too and they loved hearing all the compliments that the grown ups had for them. :)
The Harvest Feast at my school has come and gone. It was held at a bigger venue this year and I hope we keep having it there.
The hubs got a job! :) He just started last week and so far so good. I have to get used to the idea of having to cook again but that's okay.
I have two more weeks of school before winter vacation begins. I will also have to start working on my narratives for my students. Yuck. I have been thinking about starting them early so that I'm not spending much of my winter break working on them. Maybe they'll be easier this year? Who knows.
My sister will be arriving two days before Christmas. She'll be here for a couple of weeks.
Umm...our apt. is STILL undone. Our across the way neighbors ended up moving out (thank goodness!). So we will be in store for TWO new neighbors (one right below us as that apt is nearly complete) and someone else across the way. We are hoping our landlord will be a bit pickier. One can only hope, right?
I know that I have missed LOTS with all of you and I do intend to catch up on all my blogs. There are 100+ posts in my reader. :(

long time no blog

2011-11-25T16:24:00.000-08:00

I really have had every intention of blogging but time keeps escaping me. I had hoped I'd be able to catch up on blogs, letters, and blogging in general over Thanksgiving break but boy was I ever wrong. I am currently house/dog sitting for someone. Trying to keep someone else's dog happy isn't an easy job. She misses her mama immensely. She's stuck with me for at least 3 more days and vice versa. I can't get anything done let alone eat anything. The hubs has decided that this doggy's mama must give her everything but I don't think so. I think she's just trying to milk the new people!! She'll sit nice and still while you're eating so that she (just maybe) might get a lil nibble of what you're stuffing in your mouth as she watches!! If I had a dog, I wouldn't get to eat and I'm such a snacker!
There has been knitting while I have been gone. I just finished three projects in the last few weeks. We'll see if I get around to casting on for them like I hope. :) More to come..

The River of My Life Part 2

2011-09-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

High school was fun for me. I think it was the first time I got to have any fun. Sure I had two kids to drag along with me but we didn't miss out on much particularly my Sr. year of high school (the time when everyone BUT me gets their driver's license or at least gets a car to drive around). My freshman year, I actually got to play an after school sport. I played basketball. I wasn't any good and I'm super short but at the time, I really loved the game. I didn't get much playtime. Maybe had I stuck with it, I would've gotten better but one year was enough for me. My sophomore year was all right but my Jr. and Sr. year were the best. My best friends had cars so we went all over the place (with two kids thrown in the back). *Notice I didn't say whether or not they had their licenses!* One of my best friends always had a different car because her dad was a mechanic and had his own auto shop so we rode in a Lincoln Continental, a T-Bird, and a big truck for a while (with the two bikini girls plastered on the back windows!), etc.
My Sr. year is when I got my first actual boyfriend(!). What a drip. lol. Thank goodness I didn't end up marrying that one. Though I did ~~spend~~ waste about 9 years with that loser (**major child bearing years lost; but I digress). Oh, I won the first Magdalena B. Albano Scholarship at my high school. Here I am pictured with the daughter of the scholarship's namesake.

At the end of my Sr. year of high school, I got to go to Japan as an exchange student for one month.

Granted, I had to earn most of the money on my own to get there. It was a total blast. I would love to one day go back. I've since lost touch with my host families (unfortunately). Here I am with my two host sisters (different families) and their boyfriends at the time.
During the course of my Sr. year of high school (where I pretty much coasted), I applied to a bunch of different universities. Pepperdine was one, (waitlisted), Duke University (dream school at the time!), not accepted, Cal Lutheran (accepted), and USF (accepted). I can't remember where else I applied but for sure nowhere in SoCal and only one out of state. I was all set to go to USF until my parents learned how much it was going to cost. Had I known this before applying, I would've applied for financial aid without their help and gone to USF like I had wanted on my own dime. They KNEW I was applying to a bunch of different schools. I didn't apply to any state or UC schools because I wanted to go private. So I was stuck with community college for two years. And when I finished, I was only ALLOWED (yes, I was already an adult) to apply to ONE FRICKIN' SCHOOL. What if I didn't get in ran through my mind and came out of my mouth. Obviously by this point, you all know that the people whose genes I unfortunately inherited have no sense at all. Oh and since I was staying in town for community college, I got to have a car. Joy. I would've much rather have had the education I wanted than that stupid car. To this day, I am not a fan of nissan sentras.
The ONE FRICKIN' SCHOOL I applied to was San Francisco State. I did two and a half years there. I didn't really want to go to SF State but I went through the motions there, got to enjoy life in SF and spend lots of time in Berkeley (drip of a bf was there..9 years, remember??!).

I decided to stay in the bay area after I graduated from SF State. It was so nice to be away from home though I being the model daughter visited at least once a month (out of obligation of course). I took a job as a preschool teacher and did that for two years.

Here's me as a boxer for Halloween one year!
During that time, I figured if I could handle preschool, I could probably do Kindergarten so I started looking at grad school programs. There were two routes that I was possibly going to take. I was either going to take the School Psychology route or the Teacher route. I decided to stay in the bay area and take the Teacher route. I still wonder about that School Psychology route, but I loved grad school. The school I selected has a gorgeous campus and provided me with the university experience I so longed for. While attending grad school, there were weddings, a trip to Seattle, and there were fancy dances.

The end of an era was coming. The drip and I split up 3 months before I was to complete my grad program. I mourned for a day and was fine. Who has time to deal with a break up while working on a Master's Project, student teaching, AND still attending grad school classes? I surely didn't. All my future plans were now thrown up in the air. I had NO clue what I wanted to do but part of me wanted to take off to LA.
I ended up just moving back home (yes, to that place with THOSE people!). I was burnt out. I didn't even want to teach! So for about 6 months, I wallowed and hit rock bottom. And once I bottomed out, my path cleared and I knew what I wanted. I had to dig deep, way deep to remember what it was that made me love working with children so much and that was discovered working with preschoolers. So step 1 was to find a preschool job. That was done as soon as I decided that's what I wanted.
Then I had to figure out what my next steps were. I knew I did not want to stay where I was. I didn't even want to go back to the bay area. I started looking at jobs on the East Coast. I have always wanted to visit/live in Boston so I applied to a few jobs over there, never hearing back from them. Then I figured if I couldn't go to the East Coast, I could go to LA. I had decided I was going to move to LA if I had a job or not.
After 6 months at the preschool, I did summer school at a local elementary school, and by August of 2003, I went on ONE job interview in LA and came back with a job. I was headed for LA!
LA was definitely where I needed to be. It was a place where nobody knew me and I could be anybody I wanted to be. No one had any expectations/pre-conceived notions about me. I could be whoever I wanted and no one would know the difference. I spent the first three years working for a less than stellar charter school.

I met some great people there. In fact, the one pictured here with me is getting married next month! :) During the beginning of my third year with the aforementioned charter school (this was also the same year I got my sister to move down to LA to live with me!), is when I met the hubs. It was near the end of that school year that I thought maybe it was time to leave LA. We didn't make the effort to really leave but I did give my notice and didn't intend on returning to that school even if we weren't leaving LA! So I found myself unemployed for 5 months. I ended up subbing two times at my future school and then I ended up landing a tutoring position to last til the beginning of the following school year.
My fifth year in LA found me working at a private school. I had the best drive to work. Driving home wasn't as wonderful due to the bit of traffic I had to endure but boy did I love driving by the beach every morning! My stint there lasted two years and this time, we were serious about leaving LA. I interviewed with at LEAST 11 schools but got nothing.
We got married, were still unemployed, but were still determined to get OUT of LA. Those people who gave me their genes. Oh, correction, the one that is typically regarded as the father in a family, told me that the hubs and I could stay at his house. His wife didn't ask us to stay. That was the last thing she wanted (and she will tell you this over and over again I'm sure). So there we suffered, literally.
The health of my in-laws was worsening. My mother-in-law had been placed in the hospital due to brain seizure the month we were set to move. My father-in-law was in the hospital for other health issues. We left LA with all of this weighing on us anyway. I knew if we didn't leave when we did, we'd still be there and I honestly don't know how we would've made it without any work. I don't know if I could've gotten my job back or at least one like it. I didn't want to take any chances.
Things just kept getting worse. We ended up back in SoCal due to my mother-in-law's deteriorating health which ultimately ended with her passing away that year, right before Thanksgiving. Then about a month later, it was my hubs' turn to deal with health issues. These health issues are ongoing and though I haven't out rightly said on here what exactly he is dealing with, it is taxing on his body. There were times in the last couple of years when I'd look over while we were in bed just to make sure he was still breathing. Who am I kidding, I still do that from time to time.
Well and that brings us to the present since most of you have been around for all the moving. I've got a good job that I like. The hubs is in school, and we now live in an apt that we love. Sure we have lots of debt and very little food but we're grateful for what we do have.

The absolute BEST zucchini bread recipe in the world (really!)

2011-09-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well, Robyn posted this recipe in her weekly link love post. I've gotta tell you, this zucchini bread rocks.

I have already finished one loaf. :o Granted, the hubs cuts huge slices for me. I have tried other zucchini bread recipes and all have not cooked all the way through and were just okay. This one cooked all the way through and the crust is just delicious.
We had extra shredded zucchini so we made zucchini pancakes. YUM! They were eaten too quickly (by me!) to get photographed. Sorry.
Part 2 of the River of My Life is forthcoming. :)

The River of My Life Part 1

2011-09-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

Back when school first began, we had an awesome training. We were all asked to think about what three things make us who we are. These three things were supposed to be part of our river of life. I followed directions and selected the three things that shaped the person that I am today. Others chose to share their river of life which to me, was more profound that just selecting three things that stand out. That was more difficult if you ask me. So here goes.

I was born to parents that had immigrated to California from the Philippines. My father came over first in 1973 (if not 1971). He came over to work. He had an uncle that was already in California so that is who he lived with and that (I believe) is who gave him his first job here. He saved up money in order to bring my mother over. They had met while my uncle (the second oldest boy in my mom's family) was at college. He was one of my uncle's flatmates and my mom was visiting when they met. They began to exchange letters. She was at nursing school. I have read and seen some of the old letters/photos they exchanged with one another. They really seemed to be in love. When they married, it was a civil ceremony. No big white dress and no fancy party. The pictures I had seen were just of the two of them signing papers on a folding table and raising their right hands in front of the official.
Soon my mother came over from the Philippines in 1974. I was born in 1975.

They were renting a room from a woman who had a son. She came to be known as my "Lola Lita". Her son was like a big brother to me. We played together and we would go places together like one big happy family.

Here we are at the Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk. We lived with them until 1978.

In 1978, my parents bought their first and only home. Yes, they still live there today. It still has the same rug (I think), some of the same windows (!), definitely the same drapes, and definitely the same insulation! I guess both of my parents worked at the time. I can't remember where my dad was working at the time, possibly at the winery. My mom has only worked at one place ever, a small electronics company in town.

I started elementary school in 1980. I didn't attend my local elementary school (which was a block away from my house). I went to the elementary school that the children of my babysitter went to. And on my first day of school? My babysitter took me. I don't remember if I cried or anything but I do remember my teacher trying to make me write with my right hand. I emphatically told the woman that I was quite capable of writing my name with my other hand and I showed her. I had been writing for a while. I remember coming across some lists I had made when I first began to write. No wonder I still love lists and writing. :)
I stayed at that school through 2nd grade. For 3rd grade, I was sent to my local elementary school. The student population was very different compared to my first school. This new school was predominantly Mexican and to top it all off, my parents had put me in bilingual education! They wanted me to learn Spanish yet they never taught me Tagalog. I had been to the Philippines once over winter break when I was in Kindergarten. I can't find any pictures from when I was in the Philippines so I guess those photos got left at the house. Oh well. I am the only one out of the three children who got to meet both of our maternal grandparents. Our paternal grandparents had passed away when my dad was still a kid.
Elementary school was rather uneventful. School came easy to me. Unlike most children, I didn't go outside to play much. I spent my afternoons in front of the tv or reading. Books were an escape for me. They still are. I had friends in the neighborhood but my parents weren't big on me playing with other kids. Go figure. I got straight A's and my parents NEVER attended an Open House or any parent conference in ANY of my years of schooling. It bothered me that they never attended. I remember putting in all this effort the day of the Open Houses to create a nice project and then to have no one from my immediate family see it. I remember telling my mom that it was Open House and how I wanted to go but she didn't. She was always too tired from work.
My sister was born in 1983 making me an only child no more. I can't remember how I felt about having a little sister. I can tell you that I had to help take care of her though. Three years later, our brother was born and so the torture began. My sister has fond memories of torturing our brother. Feeding him ants, having him dress up in our mom's clothes when she had to work overtime, cleaning the kitchen floor with his back, etc. Sigh.
I began jr. high in 1987. Jr. high is a total and complete blur. I remember my parents expecting me to walk to school. It was a 3 mile walk (round trip!). Fortunately, I had a friend who lived on the corner whose brother would drop us off and pick us up. Thank goodness. I had to walk a couple times and it wasn't fun at all. I joined Leadership in 8th grade. I remember getting into heavy metal then. Guns n' Roses and Def Leppard were my bands of choice. I wore concert tees that I ordered through the mail and I wore tore up, bleached jeans too! No pictures from that time period (unfortunately). That would have been nice to see. :) One thing I did remember about jr. high, is this was when I began pen palling. I don't still write to anyone that I wrote to in middle school but I do still keep in touch with some pals I wrote to during high school.
I can't remember if it was when I began jr. high or near the end of elementary school that I became a latch-key kid and had to take care of my brother and sister after school. I remember stopping by the baby sitter's house to take them home. We of course spent the afternoons indoors. Sure we had a backyard but it was a dirt backyard that just had fruit trees. And I had homework to do. Now that I'm thinking about it, I think maybe it was jr. high when I first began to pick them up at the babysitter. My sister had already started elementary school in 1988 and our brother was nearing 2.
The babysitting continued when I went onto high school. Fortunately, the high school was a shorter walk.
I had been wanting to be more active since elementary school. I could never do any afterschool activities because I always had to go home and take care of my brother and sister. Yes I would complain that I didn't have them so why should I have to take care of them. Apparently it was my obligation as the older sibling. There are many things I missed out on while growing up because I had to take care kids. There were things that we did without our parents knowing because I had to take care of kids.
Remember how I said my parents NEVER attended an Open House or a parent conference when I was going to school? Well, all of a sudden, they were interested in attending Open Houses for my siblings. They were still working the same amount but for some reason my mom wasn't as tired. She would even attend Open House when they were in high school. What changed? Who knows. All I can tell you is that my upbringing was very different from my siblings.
I basically raised myself. I excelled in school and if anyone cared, no one showed it. I did it all on my own. I missed out on many things because of the parents I was stuck with. One year I was asked to attend a science camp over the summer but my parents would have to pay a certain amount. If I had to get them involved in anything, I knew it wasn't going to happen. I remember my teacher even coming to my house to ask them to let me go and what a great opportunity it would be, etc. What kind of parent deprives their children from great opportunities? I know. The kind that I got did. Nothing I ever did was good enough. I won first place in the spelling bee when I was in the 5th grade. The following year, I only got second place and was asked, 'Why didn't you win?' They were lucky to have a kid who didn't get into trouble and was responsible. I had to be. I didn't have a choice.
Looking back, I didn't have many choices. It was their way or no way at all. That's how I lived. I could forget about anything fun. No sleepovers at my house much less at friend's houses. I couldn't even go over to friend's houses to play for a little bit. I had to go straight home.
Maybe that's why I'm a Kindergarten teacher. I get to play for most of the day with other kids and there's no one to tell me that playtime is over.
Stay tuned for part 2: The adult years.

day 8 without a kitchen sink

2011-09-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read correctly. We were told we'd have a sink by the 2nd of this month. It's now the 8th. Shoot. I forgot to get a shot of my sink. Okay done! But first, here are the final shots from our last apt during our last days there.

And here's the state of our kitchen sink.

It's on its side in the hallway right in front of our front door!!

Here's where it should eventually go.

And this is where we've had to do our dishes. See that utility sink??

Here's our floor. :) Living room to kitchen has laminate flooring but I have to say it's getting scratched up from all the work that has been done in the last few days. The electrician was here working on the phone line (the correct way) and he commented on how they were taking over the apt and I said, "I know and this only an apt. Imagine if it were an entire house!" Sigh.

Supposedly the sink will be put in tomorrow. I've heard that one before!

I'm here..

2011-09-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

Well, we are finally out of our old apt and in our new one. There are a few kinks that still need working out. No kitchen, and the bathroom sink clogs something fierce. Not to mention there is no inside wiring so we have no phone service and no internet!!! Last night was the first time we slept there and guess what? It was freezing in the morning!! Know why? (aside from there being ZERO window treatments in our apt) heat doesn't come into the bedroom! There's a heater in the living room and the only vent I saw is in the kitchen. Sigh..but the floors look good! Our landlord decided to do laminate flooring in the living room and in the kitchen. The cabinets are on the way and our kitchen should be up and ready as of tomorrow. I think today we will have a stove and possibly a fridge! It's the little things isn't it? It will be another week before we get an inside wire done in our apt and then we can have internet again! Sure there's Starbucks and there's school but I miss being able to go online at night or in my pjs. I'll be back soon. Hopefully with pics of the new place. It's coming together very extremely slowly. We were only able to move stuff into the living room over the weekend so everything is still downstairs in the empty apartment. Sigh..

the first day

2011-08-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

Well, the last week and a half have provided me with another whirlwind of stuff! Last week, we had about a week's worth of in-service. The first two days were the best because it brought our new team closer together and we just might be the nice, cohesive staff I've always been looking for.
Today was the first day of school. Oy. I had only 19 show (which was great). My cap is 23 students. One was out sick and one ended up being a no show. I get a new student tomorrow so I will have two more spots to fill and I hope they do it sooner rather than later.
My new kids in a word are...young. If I described them in two words, it would be super young. There was one kid who wandered around aimlessly for much of the day and at the very end of the day, he tried to walk towards the street. When I told mom, her response was, "He does that." Well, it would've been nice had I been given a heads up! Another has really low language. When he spoke, I had no idea what he was saying to me. Sigh. Last year's group was calmer. These guys are all over the place. Put it this way, three of my boys were sitting in the back (on the rug) punching each other (in a fun way). Oh my. Lunchtime was a unique experience! For some reason, it was decided that K-3rd grade would have lunch altogether indoors. I was told it was super loud. It was SO disorganized. Dismissal was also something new. You'd think we were a brand new school opening its doors with all the kinks from just today alone. I can't wait for Friday. lol.
Our landlord was supposed to have begun work on the renos to our future apt on Monday. We haven't been by to check on things but we're hoping to take some stuff over as soon as we can so we don't have to do it all in one day.
My training stirred up some stuff within me that I would like to blog about but the things I need to help write those posts are already packed. So maybe once we've moved and I've unpacked a bit, I can reflect on my 'river of life.' I feel like it's necessary to explore that topic a bit more. The river of one's life is what has helped a person become the person they are today. Some of my coworkers, thought to do their entire river of life when we were really supposed to only focus on three things. I wished that I had done the former so that's what I intend to do once we're all settled in the new place. :) Or at least unpacked!

MORE changes :)

2011-08-06T15:19:00.000-07:00

As if I'm not already going through enough changes here on the outside world, I just had to make some more blog changes. I'm quite happy with the latest updates. I learned how to create my own header! Wow. Talk about empowering. The original tutorial comes from here. I could've done much more but this is just the beginning. :)
There's been little knitting. Though there has been packing. We are off to my school in a little bit to pick up some boxes. Plus I had an idea while I slept and I'm hoping the folders that were available last weekend are still there. There has been baking. If you are a fan of oatmeal cookies as we are, please ~~walk~~ sprint to your kitchen to make this batch. They are delish. I am not a big fan of raisins in my oatmeal cookies so we used m&m's instead. :) No pics as they're pretty much gone! I found some other yummy recipes too. Oh and there was this too! There has been little reading too. Although I would like to get most of the Gita finished before school starts up. For some reason, after a long day at school, my brain turns into mush once I get home and all I want to do is watch tv or just knit. Who wants to do more work?? There are times when it is required but those times aren't every night!

really??

2011-08-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

There have been many knitting-related stumbles while I've been away! Aside from trying to pack up as much as I can before I start back at school, there has also been lots of reading. I finished All That is Bitter and Sweet. I also started and completed Room which was recommended to me by Robyn. I completely devoured Room. I read the first chapter the first day I got it at the library. Then the next day, I picked it up again when I couldn't go back to sleep and nearly finished it in one sitting! It was THAT good. I'm also working on the Bhavagad Gita via two different books. It has been referenced in a couple books that I have read previously and I all of a sudden decided I should try to read it. I'm up to Chapter 6 (there are 18 chapters).
The hubs and I took about 7 heavy boxes to school to keep in my closet next to my classroom. We are going to go back and take a few more as the hubs realized I could stash stuff way up high on top of said closet. I just wouldn't be able to get to that stuff which is fine. We will probably go on Wednesday since the rugs have been shampooed and won't be dry til about Wednesday.
I've also been attempting to purge. I've purged a few things but not all that much. Today I am purging yarn. :(
The last few days I have been trying to sort of get back into my roots with regard to knitting. I have been trying to get some kitchen-related items going. I've started at least three or four different projects and not one has survived. I cast on for a moss grid towel last night and so far so good. I have some hempathy that I want to use up for something and I saw on ravelry that many people have used it to make moss grid towels which I thought about doing but wasn't sure how it would turn out.
When I work on non-shawl projects, I remember why I mostly knit shawls. It is because shawls don't cause my wrists to feel overworked like socks or most other knit projects. Go figure.
I finished the hub's sweater last week. He finally modeled it today so I have some pics to show off.

He absolutely LOVES it. I wish it were a bit longer. I should've made the body just a smidge bit longer but oh well.

While working on the vest, I had also cast on for that fan dance shawl, remember? Well, I frogged that sucker right around when I started binding off because I hadn't realized how much yarn I was going to have leftover. The yarn I was using didn't have a ball band so I had no idea what the yardage was. When I went on ravelry to post about the shawl, I realized the skein I used was 490 yards and the pattern only called for 400. Being that I am a loose knitter I always go at least one needle size down so I wouldn't have even used 400 yards. SO, it's now a big ball of nothing again and I have no intention of recasting on for this shawl. Here's what it looked like:

Oh well. I have no feelings about it. I'd like to be working on something that I love but I have yet to find that special something.
Amidst the packing, purging, reading, and knitting, I have also been listening to old cds (mostly ones I had made myself). While strolling down memory lane, I started to think about staying power. I am not an ipod'er. I like cds. I haven't purchased any new ones in a few years so the cds I have are 'old.' They still bring up the same emotions I had when I first listened to the songs I had selected for my mixed cds and some of those songs....wow, no one writes songs like that anymore!
Oh and here's a pic of what the interior of our future living room will look like! :)

Happy Anniversary!

2011-07-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

Two years. Really? Year 2 wasn't so bad. Though it had it's own share of trials and tribulations, we have made it through. Soon we will have a place of our very own and I'm excited to say that it just might be the nicest place we will have lived thus far. :)

yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-07-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I am proud to say that the hubs and I have completed our apt search and will now have a new place to call home by the end of next month. Whew.

This is a screenshot of the front. It's a bit shabby looking but we're into shabby chic. It's a 1920's building and the owner just purchased the building at the end of April. He has been doing major renovations to it probably since the day it was purchased it. He has been working unit by unit. We're already promised the second floor apt on the right hand side. It's a fourplex. So far there are two older sets of people on the left side of the building. Not sure who is going to end up renting below us. We're hoping for a young-ish person/couple. The awesome thing is we get to make some decisions in regards to the renovations. We got to decide if we wanted carpet/laminate in the living room! I already put in a request for another closet pole in the hall closet, etc. Apparently we are going to have crown molding put in too! Since the building is so old, there are some quirky things to it but unfortunately, none are of use any longer. There was an ironing board in the kitchen-ours is missing. In the eating area, there are these things in the walls which at one point served as the chairs. Too bad they don't work anymore! The backyard is huge and will be used for parking and whatever else we want to do. There's already a HUGE blackberry bush and a small patch of strawberries. The one problem is figuring out what the heck I'm going to do with all my teaching stuff. I've counted-there are at least 30 some boxes (I don't think it's ALL teaching stuff) that need a place to be. I don't want to keep it all at school because I don't want anyone else getting at my things and using/taking stuff without permission. I may end up taking SOME things to school but I guess we'll have to see. I don't think there will be room for these boxes in our apt. Well, we'll figure that out when we get closer to our actual move.
I have been chugging along on the vest for the hubs. Here's how it looked after I seamed everything up.

Here's how it looks with the armhole bands. I still need to do the neck band. Picking up stitches for the ribbing has been a pain in the butt. It takes FOREVER. I'm not looking forward to doing the neck band.

As far as fit goes, the length is a bit shorter than I had anticipated it being but I know this stuff is supposed to stretch A LOT. So I'm hoping it all works out after blocking. The hubs loves it. I'm impressed with the sizing!

back to square one!

2011-07-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

Well, so we still have no new place to move into. The landlord for the garden place hasn't heard anything from her tenants yet so she thinks they're not going to move. The one with the kitchenette? I was resigned to just take it out of desperation until the lady there mentioned that the couple who saw it before the hubs and I REALLY wanted it. Who are we to mess with that? Right away, I didn't want it anymore. When I told the hubs, he agreed. SO, we let her know it wasn't going to be the right fit, blah, blah, blah. Then off we went in search of new places. We did see one but we won't be saving that much but it had a very nice kitchen. I worked on the hubs' vest in the car while we drove all around. I think I'm a bit closer to being done with the front body. I just hope it fits! I did cast on, frog and re-cast on for a shawl. I was quite unhappy with the way the first yarn was knitting up. You couldn't really see the pattern. It was just a big lacy mess (at least in my eyes!). No pics yet..she's a bit camera shy. Maybe if I get further along on both the shawl and the best I'll post some pics soon. In the meantime, I'll be spending most of my free time house hunting! :P

oh what to do!

2011-07-18T19:01:00.000-07:00

WELL, the hubs and I just saw a really cute place that's in the lower end of our price range. Nice quiet street, the apt isn't too small, there's access to the back of the apt, and it's satellite ready. The downsides are that it has only a kitchenette and no laundry facilities. It turns out that I actually sort of know someone who lives there. She said just mention that I know her and the apt is ours. Once we got to see the apartment, I learned that the person I sort of know was basically raised in the building! SO, if we want the apt, it really is pretty much ours. We have until tomorrow morning to make a decision. I don't know what to do! We looked at another place last week which is a possibility. We won't be saving as much but there's a fantastic garden already in place (zucchinis, tomatoes, and corn!). It's a 2 bdrm a bit on the small side but I was sold on the garden alone! I wanted the hubs to call today to find out what was going on with that but he wants to wait for the lady to call us. I'm going to make him call tomorrow. lol. I sent an email to our school parent board to see if anyone can let the rest of the school know that I'm looking. Sigh..

summer's nearly over

2011-07-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

It's true. I can't even believe it. In less than a month, I will be back at school. It isn't as though I've stopped thinking about school while I've been on summer break though. The blog world is full of amazing teacher blogs (that I have just discovered in the last few months) with tons and tons of freebies! I have also found lots of fun craft ideas to do with kids like this, this and this! And for grown-ups, there's this one! I really want to try the microwave playdough and the mason jar one!
I've spent the last couple of hours trying to catch up on blogs. You'd think that since I was on 'summer break' I would be caught up on blogs (far from it). I realized today that I spend much less time online during the summer than I do during the school year (or maybe it just feels like that!).
The hubs and I spent most of last week looking at apts. We were turned down for the first one. Now we're trying to limit how many we apply for because it's so costly (all the credit checks!) and it's going to make our scores go down (with all the inquiries!). It doesn't seem like we'll be moving out before the 1st as I had hoped but I guess only time will tell.
I've been knitting while I've been away and there's been some reading. I picked up the Ashley Judd memoir from the library on Sunday and I started it last night. I only knew about it because I happened to watch a few episodes of The Judds when it was on OWN. I haven't read very much of it.

Here's the back of the hubs's vest.

I finished the back Sunday night so here it is on him. lol! I cast on for the front yesterday but haven't gotten very far.

And here's my scarf that was started eons ago. I think it's about 50% complete.

I also cast on for a new shawl but am having a bit of trouble with it. Today I am trying to take a day off from the knitting to give my hands a rest. I am nearly caught up on all my mail. I think I've got three more left to answer. Then what will I do??

the beach

2011-07-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

I am finally able to share some pics from the beach when the hubs and I went last week.

This was before we got to the beach part. Birds regularly frequent the beach we went to and this is part of their habitat.

A dead crab we found.

me, freezing.

These are the shells I found.

These are the shells I found the first time I went to this beach with my class (sans the sand dollar).

And here are some rocks I picked up.

a special treat was seeing these horses there!

see ya!

ch-ch-ch-changes

2011-07-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I decided on the 4th of July that it's time for the hubs and I to move. Knowing that one day soon our rent is going to go up (a lot!), I started combing craigslist and yesterday we looked at a couple of places. We put in an app for one of them and we'll find out on Thursday what the next step will be. Ideally, we'd like to move into a little house but I didn't see any posted. The one we put in the app for is about $300 LESS than what we're paying now (granted it is also 2 rooms smaller..) but it will finally be a place that is ours and only ours. We saw a couple more today because I kept thinking how the one we put the app in for didn't have a closet! What's a girl to do without a bedroom closet??? We are probably going to put in one more app for one of the two we saw today. SO much storage space plus there's a carport that comes with storage! The ones we saw today totally reminded me of my last apt. when we lived in LA.
Tomorrow we are going to some meeting about first-time home buyers. The city where we live is part of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. When we last spoke with a mortgage loan specialist, he said we were close income-wise to be able to qualify for a loan. He had even been given a vague idea of what our debt-to-income ratio is and said we weren't too bad. From friends, we have heard that one should not get their hopes up on the first house you see because it will most likely get snatched up by someone who is purchasing with CASH. Sigh..if only. SO, we're thinking we can rent for a little bit longer until we're more ready to purchase our own house. The hubs and my sister are wanting us to get a dog but it looks like that won't be happening anytime soon. No pets (again). Speaking of no pets, there have been some exciting things happening with our walking sticks! I never did bring them back to school so they've become our permanent pets. We have lost a few since I first posted about them. We are down to 4 but that won't be for long because over the last couple of days, I have been investigating their bowl and researching on the internet. Guess what! Someone has laid some eggs.

I circled the eggs for you. Don't think the picture will get any bigger. Here is a better view (maybe?)

To me they look like they have gold in between. I kind of liken them to little shimmery beads. If neither one of these pictures helps, there's also this link. Though these don't at all resemble the ones we've got. Not quite sure how many there are. I'm excited though. I was so worried that we weren't going to have any eggs. Now I just hope we don't have too many!
We spent our 4th of July with my now retired boss and her husband. No pics though. Lots of good food and some fireworks. :)

I had an interview today with Sylvan Learning Center. We got lost! Fortunately, they were very forgiving and I think the interview went well. I am supposed to hear back either the end of this week or Monday of next week.
Now off to vacuum so I can start packing some of our stuff!

some friendly rocks

2011-07-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

At Boxland, I raved about all the cool rocks I was buying up. I finally got around to taking pics of them. Maybe one day we will have a garden where I can display my rocks! For now, they're all over the house.

one of my favorites.

This last one we picked out for my sister:

the unthinkable

2011-06-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well, after blogging yesterday, I made a decision regarding my unfinished shawl. I decided to rip back to right before the lace begins and go down a needle size.

While working on my shawl, I made a third decision. I decided to sort of tweak the pattern a bit to further ensure that I would have enough yarn to finish. I made a plea on rav too for any leftovers of the yarn I used. Too bad I didn't go back online until now. The shawl is now complete. It is actually having a bath right now. So here is what it looked like before it went off for a bath.

here's how much yarn i had leftover!

and here's a rough close-up.

After finishing up this baby (after hibernating for about a week!), I decide to do some other frogging.

Remember this?

Well, after hibernating for over a year, I decided to frog this sucker. So now it looks like this:

I am entertaining the idea of turning the balls of yarn into this. Yes, it's got acrylic in it and the stuff flies everywhere but what else am I going to do with all of this? lol. At least it's soft. I only have 4 skeins of yarn though. I may cast on for it and see how far I get. But I first have to make sure I have the correct pattern since she has since updated it since she first released it about 3 years ago!
Not sure what I will cast on for next but it most likely will be a piece of clothing-either that vest I had promised the hubs or a cardi for myself. I have since lost the desire to make this with this but now I'm thinking maybe I'll make this instead.

yay!

2011-06-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I did a couple of changes here. I don't think I can muster up anymore in the near future. lol. I did my first header and that alone was a pain in the behind. For my first official week off from school, I watched two of my favorite disney classics, I began and nearly finished a shawl (ran out of yarn and am still trying to figure out what I'm going to do), went to the library and picked up the book versions of the aforementioned classics, received a book that I won from a blog contest, started reading that new book, went to the beach with the hubs, and made a bazillion much needed phone calls.
Unfortunately, no pics to share from the beach (yet). They are all on the hubs' phone and he is at his ceramics class! No pics of the shawl either until I figure out what I'm going to do. I'm either going to post on rav to see if anyone has any leftovers of the particular yarn I used, used scrap yarn that I have on hand (though this sucker is a pain to match!) or another option may be to rip back a few rows and go down a needle size. I'm about 3 rows away from completion. I kind of don't have the heart to just use whatever scrap yarn I have on hand because it would just bug me to no end. SO, it looks like I may just rip back a few rows? But now I'm starting to feel like I could just frog the whole thing and use the smaller needles from the beginning to avoid having a short fall again. Guess we'll see.
Okay, I felt guilty.

Here's my almost finished shawl.

And here's my book that I won!

So far so good! It arrived on the heels of my having watched the season premiere of the latest season of Celebrity Rehab. lol. Talk about timing. I always kind of wondered what sorts of things happened in rehab-especially with 'celebrities' and now I get a fictional view. I finished Pollyanna in a day and I had started Swiss Family Robinson the following day but Spin is a lighter read. I caught up on most of my magazines..and soon I'll start working on my mail again!
I heard from one of my parents that they had received their son's narrative and were quite pleased. Then I realized the other parents got THEIR reports and some were not so glowing. I was quite candid. Let's see if anyone contacts me.

i heart pandora

2011-06-22T13:57:00.000-07:00

It's what helps get me through these narratives that I have to do. Note to self: Don't wait until after school is over to begin working on them. They suck even more when you're supposed to be on 'summer vacation!' Plus I don't remember as much because my mind is already moving onto the upcoming school year. I am chugging along though. I am making myself do the social and emotional development portions. My plan of attack this time is different from when I did my narratives over winter break. This time, I'm making myself go alphabetical. Why am I torturing myself this way? I have more data to talk about so I had to organize it in some way! I need to get them all done by next Monday-that's the projected mail date. How close am I? Not very. Too distracted. Too many blogs to read. Too many emails to comb through. Too much tv to watch when I should be typing up narratives!
While I've been avoiding my narratives, my boss had her retirement party and I finished my scarf. The retirement party was held at an adult day health care center. The location alone of the place was weird because we all know the center is in what used to be a Circuit City!

I was mesmerized by the murals and the decor.

The place is huge!

By the waterfall!

The retiree speaking. :)

The hubs and I, in front of the indoor waterfall!

And my finished scarf.

I still find it too girly for me. lol. We'll see once I actually get to wear it. :)

I received some surprise yarn too. :)

Okay, back to my narratives.

the hubs

2011-06-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to the opening of an exhibit here in town. My bosses were going to be there as well as my teaching partner and one of the moms from school. I ran into my sixth grade teacher there who is now a county supervisor. He said hi to me! I saw him first and didn't think he'd recognize me. I forgot that they make everyone (mostly) put on a name tag. There aren't many Filipino girls with my same name running around here. I also ran into a few other people I knew through my work at my school. It was sort of surreal. I can tell you that when I taught in LA, I highly doubt that I'd run into people at events such as the one we attended so it was nice. I liked the feeling of being 'known.' My boss who is retiring this year is the one who knows everyone so she was introducing me to a few people and adding that now that I'm at her school, she can retire. (talk about making a girl blush!)
Well, amidst all the madness (yes, it was madness. the place was packed and the food was super delish!), the hubs got photographed for one of the local papers.

teehee. There was a couple of sections in the exhibit where you were allowed to touch stuff and this was one of the things. The photographer told the hubs that he was going to put him in the paper but we didn't know he'd be on the front page. What a surprise it was to see him on the front page as we were checking out at one of the markets. It was a funny way to start the day. :)We showed my teaching partner and the office manager at school. Not sure if my boss saw it yet. I tried to call my sister about it but she wasn't answering so I texted her and she said she saw it already! She gets the online version of the paper sent to her email. Funny.

where shall I even begin?

2011-06-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

Boxland came and went. I forgot my camera on days 2 and 3. Though by day 3, a lot of the businesses were closing up early. I had eggo waffles with syrup, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries for breakfast. lol. My favorite store had shut down. I was super bummed. The kids who ran that store were surprised that they were my favorite store. I learned later that the kid in charge of that store did all the baking himself (and everything was AWESOME, hence it being my favorite!). Oh well. Not sure if he's graduating this year but here's to hoping he opens up shop again for next year. We bought lots more rocks. No pics of them (yet) though.

Saturday, the hubs and I were invited to our second birthday party of the school year. This party was on a ranch so I rode my first horse ever. Here's the horse I got to ride. My student's dad said he'd walk the horse with me on it. I didn't even want to get on!! The hubs went for a lil ride and when he came back, he said I was definitely getting on because the horse was so docile.

There I am on the horse!

Here are more pictures from the ranch:

The stable.

Some goats.

Same goats..hoping I'll give them some more feed.

Chickens!

Today, was our beach field trip. I didn't take many pictures as I was busy enjoying being at the beach. :)

I am so unbelievably exhausted! The kids had a blast and the teachers did too. While laying on the beach (literally) I was trying to figure out how we could hold school on the beach on a regular basis. ;) What do you think?

And now for some knitting.

a nice finished shot of snow

blocked shots of trouble (which was only really trouble for the first few rows!)

I haven't cast on for anything new (though I really wanted to yesterday). I'm still searching for the right project.

One more full day of school! It doesn't even feel like school is going to be over. I can't wait to sleep in and knit all day and all night.

Boxland!

2011-06-08T18:33:00.000-07:00

It was sooooooooooo much fun and I ate way too much junk. The hubs opened up his own business! He goes to the businesses to see if they need help with figuring out their taxes and wages for their employees. It was cute. The first business that hired him, had to get a fast lesson on how much to pay their employees. I overheard most of it. The bosses wanted to give their employees a 20% share of the profits (there were 2 employees) while the two bosses kept 30% each. The hubs and I talked them out of this. lol. I told them that an employee only gets paid for however long they worked so they needed to decide how much to pay their employees for each shift that was worked. Apparently, this was not explained to the children. They didn't even make sure the younger ones got a break! I had to help some of mine find their bosses too. A couple of them hadn't been hired by anyone so I told them they needed to go to each business and ask them if they were hiring. Okay, so here's what I saw outdoors:

This shop was selling cookies and cupcakes. If you purchased a cupcake, you got to decorate it however you wanted.

This store was selling clothing that the girls no longer wore and their prices were amazing. The dresses were super adorable too. I so wished that I could've fit into one of them!

One of the indoor food stands. I just liked it. Most of the pics are taken before Boxland even got under way. (hence the empty stands!)

Not quite sure what this business was selling. As I said, most of these shots were taken right before Boxland officially began. Plus I didn't want to take pics with the kids' faces.

This is Hollywood Blvd-minus the Hollywood sign.

This was my FAVORITE shop! It was the one and only place where I made a tangible purchase.

And now for some inside shots:

I liked this booth. That's why I took a picture. Though again, this was taken before things got under way.

Popcorn, dippin' dots and something else, I can't remember what.

Here's where the businesses got to store their items (for a fee).

And here's where they had to store the food (also for a fee!).

My one and only purchase (that wasn't eaten!).

Most of my money was spent on edible items ranging from chocolate covered strawberries to tacos. The kids had a great time. A few of them are completely broke. They spent most of their money on toys. I told them to try not spend all their money so that they would have some for tomorrow (obviously they didn't listen). Hope they don't think that I'm going to be giving them any. One of mine even said that I'll just give her more money for tomorrow. I laughed when I heard that one. I told the student who overheard this that I can't wait for that girl to ask me for money so I can laugh in her face. Me, mean? Definitely. More tomorrow!

SIX more days of school!!

2011-06-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

And I am still doing assessments. I'm insanely crazy. Tomorrow is the first day of an annual three day event at my school called Boxland. It is a land made of boxes! The children create businesses (which must receive approval from the city council before they can even begin to play for Boxland). There's a city council and there's a police force. Oh and there's a dept. of treasury, a sanitation dept, and an environmental impact dept. There's of course a mayor. Each student receives money from the Dept of Treasury ($50) and they earn money from the various councils/depts. they are a part of. They also earn money from the businesses they work for. This is going to be an interesting experience! This year, I helped with the police dept. and the dept of treasury. Here's two of our 20s for this year:

The color got washed out. Our 20s are lavender. Each denomination is a different color (much like monopoly money). I have devoted a few math lessons to counting dollars to (ideally!) ensure that my Kinders don't get ripped off. I just hope they don't spend all their money the first hour. Here's what's amazing to me, there are restaurants at Boxland and we get to use FAKE money to eat REAL food!!!!!! I can't wait. There will be tacos. There will be tamales. There will be smoothies. There will be lots and lots of other JUNK. What's not good, is the junk fest begins at 9AM until 11AM. lol. Not exactly the best time of day to be eating junk. Oh well..the joys of being a kid. :)
Aside from knitting, I have been working on one non-knitting project that I can't show you yet. On the knitting front, here's what has been keeping me up at night (literally!)

This sucker had been kicking my butt during the first 20 some rows. Now we're square and we're no longer frenemies. My goal is to get to under 200 stitches today. I am at about 219 as of last night.
The last couple of days I have been catching up with some old friends. I had loads to update them on and vice versa. For example, my sorely missed friend in LA has just bought a house! Every time we talk, she throws in how the hubs and I should really consider moving back. I keep telling her when the air quality improves (fat chance). My other friend who I talked to on Sunday was advising me on the rules of smudging.
The End of the Year picnic is next Wednesday. I have to figure out what I'm going to be required to bring. We did the whole if your last names is from A-blank bring blah blah blah. I keep forgetting that my last name begins with M now.
I shall be back tomorrow (I hope!) with some Boxland photos!

a sigh of relief

2011-06-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

It has been rather hectic this life of mine so much so that I haven't really had time to knit. I've been squeezing in knitting time late at night while listening to reruns of "What I Like About You" which remind me of the super hot summers we had when we were still in LA. I can recall sweating while knitting and watching "What I Like About You."

I had an interview today afterschool for the one summer job I have applied for (so far). It seems pretty cool but they won't know how many children will sign up for the summer program till next week. Should they get enough kids to sign up (they need only 5!), then we're in business and I'll officially have a summer job from June 27-August 5. It's a cool facility and I'm already excited about the possibilities. Tomorrow, the hubs and I are going to check out a temp agency that is within walking distance of our place and see if we get any leads there.

Our rent was intended to go up as of today. In fact, if we had decided to remain here and just pay month to month, our rent would practically double. Fortunately, the hubs was able to stop into the office while the big boss was in town (she isn't local apparently) and got to talking to her. It turns out that our pending rent increase shouldn't take effect for another 60 days (as opposed to...oh, two weeks notice!). By signing on for another year (yes, you read correctly!) rather than deal with the double increase, our rent would only go up by about $400 (yes, I said only) a month. I'm just glad the
change isn't an immediate one. By August, hopefully things will have improved (at least a teeny bit!) for us financially.

One minor financial celebration is that we will get raises for the upcoming school year. Here I thought my school didn't ever give raises and now I've been proven wrong. Let's hope it becomes a regular
thing.

School is over in 11 days!!! It is going to fly right by especially with Boxland the last three days of next week, our beach field trip on the 13th and a schoolwide picnic on the last day of school. I hope to be able to post some stuff about Boxland next week.

There has been knitting but no pictures. My scarf is laying about. I cast on for a new shawl (a tricky one in fact). No pics yet. I haven't gotten very far (at least not in my eyes). Letter writing and book reading have both fallen by the wayside. I'm thinking once school is off my brain, I'll be able to re-focus on those two things that I really should be doing because they do contribute to a balanced state of mind (at least for me!).

A friend of mine has filled me in on a new 30 day challenge that has just begun. It is the 30 day photo challenge hosted by White Peach Photography. Check it out! I will not be participating as some of the things require some knowledge of photography. lol. I just point, check my lighting, and shoot.

Want to learn how to make giant bubbles?? (I definitely do!) Check out this tutorial. :) And for an awesome sponge relay game that I intend to try with my students, check out this link!

We have officially been living in our apt. for a year (and a few days). Soon it'll be at least a year since I spoke to the non-parents. My life has been stress-free (believe it or not!) without them impinging and throwing all their negativity around and in my face. Though I do get to watch my sister deal with it when she is in town. She doesn't cope well. She has already decided that she will not be able to settle too close to the hubs and I (once she's done with school and all) because the rest of the family would be too nearby. She prefers having the physical distance between them. They wouldn't ever think to fly out and visit her (or drive to visit her for that matter). Isn't that sad?

is it over yet?

2011-05-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

How many more days do I still have to behave like a Kindergarten teacher?? Isn't the year over yet? The last few days are dragging but I am well aware that before I know it school will definitely be over. It doesn't help that my school puts on this amazing event called Boxland in a couple of weeks not to mention final progress reports, ummm, student allocation for the upcoming school year, and not to mention filling out the cume folders (say what?). Note to self: Next time I will think about teaching at a private school again. Some schools are already out. Am I jealous? Heck yeah! I have been keeping sane by keeping my fingers going. I fixed this.

And then I cast on for this:

I am still on the fence about it..definitely not my colors but the blue yarn I had wasn't going to be flattering to my skin. I haven't researched the shawl I really would like to begin just yet. I've got some yarn ready though.
Yesterday, the hubs took some modeled shots of my shawl with no name. Can I tell you how nice it is to have his eye working better again? He still has a few more post-op appointments to attend but soon he'll be able to get a new pair of glasses. He has told me that having the two eye surgeries that he had done has done wonders for him which makes me really glad.

We signed him up for a summer school class. He will be taking Ceramics. I can't wait to see what he makes for me. :) I am in the process of looking for a job for the summer (annoying story that I really don't want to get into but obviously it is money/bills related). I've found a possible lead and need to do a once over of my resume.

here's what you missed

2011-05-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

Birthday goodies from a very special friend.

a cute reversible bag,

malabrigo yarn,

a dolphin case,

stitch holders and a case for needles (which always comes in handy),

these gorgeous earrings,

buttons!

more yummy yarn, (this one aptly named after one of my favorite drinks, sangria!),

and these cool sunglass headbands (in various colors!)

Here I am trying on one pair of my new earrings. I wore them the day after I received the package and mostly everyone at school noticed them and liked them. :)

I have sort of been doing a 'test' with the earrings that I have been getting each year for my birthday and it seems as though they are the only ones safe for me to wear. :) So keep 'em coming, Robyn! ;)
Finished shawls have been photographed and or blocked. Here's Cherry Bomb, modeled by me.

And here's my latest finish. Modeled shots forthcoming.

I just love the detail of the lace pattern in my latest shawl. I should also have better shots of snow soon too. I had to go back and tweak it a bit.
My school had its first annual carnival yesterday afternoon. It was a lot of fun. I can't post any pictures because they include kids from the school. There was a cupcake walk (which my sister participated in) and a few carnival games that each class was in charge of. There were deep fried twinkies (which were interesting), inexpensive tacos and burritos, kettle corn, a band, animals from a local pet store, and horses. Next year I hope that we have even more booths.
Last night the hubs and I went to the symphony for the first time. It was part of his Music Appreciation class. We went to the final concert of our local symphony. I was unfamiliar with the concert that was performed. I paid pretty good attention during the first two sections (I think?) and then I became distracted. I had to find things to focus on. I chose to focus on the guy who got to play the triangle. He also played the xylophone and get this, he played wood blocks! I noticed that most of the violinists that were sitting stage left had wedding rings on and most of the cellists and bassists that were seated stage right weren't. I learned that if you have a cough, you're supposed to bring unwrapped cough drops to the show and if you must cough, it's best if you go outside to do it!
Guess what! There are only 17 days of school left. I can't even believe it. We have this event called "Boxland" coming up the first full week of June, a possible field trip the second week of June, and not to mention progress reports. Oh yeah, and our school founder is retiring this year so there will be a retirement party in her honor. Just when I finally got used to the group of kids I was given for the year, I am going to have to get used to a new batch in a few months. For the upcoming school year, the teacher who I share a huge space with is also going to be doing Kindergarten so that will provide for more options of team teaching (we're hoping!).
My sister has been in town for about a week now. She is here to pick up her car to take back with her to Chicago but it turns out, no one can go with her. I was slated to go with her but then the possibility of something happening while we were on the road popped into my brain (and I decided that I sort of jinxed myself!) so I had to say no. I only have 2 days left that I can take off. Too bad she can't wait a couple more weeks. SO, she is going to be flying back Memorial Day weekend (so at least she's here a little bit longer!) and her car will get transported to her (somehow).
While my sister has been in town, she has been filling me in on what's going on with her parents and brother. It's an eerie (yet amazing) feeling when the premonitions you have had in the past, start turning into reality.
And there you have it.

wait for me!!

2011-05-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

It has been about a week and a half since I was without internet service. Our new service started last Thursday at 8:01pm. Can you say stupid u-verse? I was online taking a gander at all that I had 'missed' while we were unplugged. I am not a news watcher like I used to be in LA so I was super behind. For example, I had NO idea about this. I also had loads of recipes that I needed to save for myself like this one and this one. I also missed the first listen of this!
Did I miss the internet? Not really. I passed the time by watching tv. Plus my sister is in town so I spent a lot of last week entertaining the girl who is bored out of her mind at her folks' house! I did miss cataloging all the awesome recipes that can be found on the internet. I also missed reading blogs and interacting with all my new blog friends! That's what I really missed. So here I am (waves). I haven't been neglecting you all. I just got used to not having internet access. I suppose if I had to, I could go without it (which is good to know). I have realized that the internet has made life easier. You want a recipe? You just google it. You want to read the latest entertainment news, you can find it on the internet. You want to make some new friends? There are millions (maybe billions?) of people just waiting to make your acquaintance. I'm not saying the internet is the end all be all but it is a handy tool for those few that feel more comfortable behind a computer screen vs. face to face. And the recipes? Wow! All the awesome craft ideas? All the sites for shoes/clothes? We are very very fortunate.
Another realization I had living unplugged is that life goes on without me..and I don't want to miss too much more.

in my absence

2011-05-07T16:47:00.000-07:00

My birthday came and went this past week. I celebrated my 36th (shocking, I know!) this year.

There were flowers, cupcakes, and a homemade cake but everything edible has already gotten eaten up. I realized this morning while I was having some of my birthday cake that I didn't manage to get a picture of said cake before we began devouring it. Oh well. The same goes for my cupcakes.
I am the type of teacher who loves celebrating my birthday with my class. I usually bring cupcakes to share with the kids. This year, I brought the cupcakes, but the kids were just atrocious. I hadn't told them that we were going to have a party and I was glad. Though they knew there were cupcakes because how can you not bring cupcakes on your birthday? I ended up sharing the cupcakes with a few teachers and the rest I just took home.
I have been MIA for the last few days because we are offline at home! I am currently sitting in my empty and quiet classroom catching up on emails and checking to see how behind I am on blog reading! Our new service will not begin until Thursday of this week so bear with me!

To those of you mothers, have a fantastic Mother's Day!!

A to Z Blog Challenge

2011-05-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

By some miracle, I completed the A to Z challenge. I honestly don't know how I did it. I know what helped but I don't know how on earth I was able to keep up with it.
Something that was reiterated through this challenge was that blogging daily is not for me. To me, blogging should be a treat and something that I do because I feel like it or I have something special to share. I don't find that I have something special to share on a daily basis (unfortunately!). Sure you might get two posts out of me in the span of one week but that's a fluke! Most of the time I'm a once a week (or two) kind of blogger. That's just how I roll.

I would definitely participate again. I don't think I'd do anything differently. I would still post things that come to mind and compose the forthcoming posts as something hits me (and to think I used to be such a planner)!
I found a bunch of new blogs to read and I hope these new friendships will continue to mature and grow.

a quick finish

2011-05-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

This is how she entered the world.

Then she began to grow

and grow.

Now she's all grown up.

Ta da!

I was scared about the 200+ cast on which I got through. Then about a week later, it was done in a flash-even the blocking was done just as quickly if not faster. She is absolutely gorgeous. If only I had the yardage for the rest of the patterns done by this designer!

Z is for Zucchini

2011-04-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

I wanted a pic of zucchini and a zucchini blossom and here's where I found this pic. In recent years, I have become a big fan of zucchini. I don't know what happened. Just all of a sudden, I became big on zucchini. It helped that at my first year at the private school, the hubs and I (who weren't hubs and wife yet) were asked to house sit for one of the families in my class. They had a gorgeous house with an amazing garden and backyard. Not only was there fresh zucchini to be picked but blueberries and strawberries to be eaten too! That was also the year I decided to try my hand at apartment gardening. I planted tomatoes, basil, and bell peppers. How I miss having a garden!
The hubs and I still look at houses-not very actively but I still get a daily email of updates. One of the major selling points for me (aside from a garage to stash all my teaching stuff!) is a backyard with enough space for a garden. One day. :)

Friday's crafty diversion!

2011-04-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

I realized today (after coming back from CVS to pick up a prescription we thought the eye doctor's office had already called in) that I forgot to purchase a birthday card that is supposed to go out tomorrow. Since I forgot to get one, I had to make one. :)

And then I realized that there's another birthday coming up so why not kill two birds with one stone?

All my card making stuff is in the closet of my knitting room/music/meditation room. The hubs was hanging out on his laptop and then he left. He came back when he heard 80's music coming out of the room. He took a picture of my pea soup which was still on the floor blocking-even though it was already dry for a few days now!

Then I realized he could take a pic of me modeling it (instead of me waiting for my sister to come model for me!).

He wanted to do a side view. I requested a classic full view of the back. It's by far the best picture taken ever.

He believes this is my best shawl to date though I disagree.

Here is progress on that beauty that was unfolding a few days ago. I am nearly halfway finished with it. You can't see much of the detail (shame on you red for being difficult to photograph!) but it is quite intricate! Maybe when it's blocked you *might* get to see it's true beauty. It's really an amazing pattern.

Y is for Yogurt

2011-04-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

Like many, my eyes have been bombarded with commercials about various types of yogurt, specifically the greek kind. After about a week or two of greek yogurt commercial overload, I was on a mission to purchase some greek yogurt. We found the Greek Gods version at FoodsCo. We ended up getting the honey flavored stuff because the hubs knew what a weakling I was in regards to sour yogurt. This stuff was super rich. It was good but I could only have a couple of spoonfuls at a time. Once we finished that one (they only carried them in the pint version), I was ready to try other brands. At our local Safeway, they had nearly every greek yogurt under the sun available to me! I picked up some chobani, some dannon greek, some fage, and I think that's it. The chobani was good. The dannon greek, I think I haven't eaten yet but I could be mistaken. The fage I didn't like at all. I opted for the version that comes with fruit (not realizing that when you get a yogurt that has the fruit in a separate compartment, it's most likely going to be of a jam consistency). It was gross.
Do I prefer greek yogurt to regular yogurt? The jury is still out.

X is for Xylitol

2011-04-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

Picture taken from here but I used to see this stuff here and here.
The last school I worked at in LA was a private school with a few new agey families. There was one family who I came to love and I adored their daughter who was in my class my first year with the school. She had a dentist appointment and despite the fact that the girl ate the healthiest food on earth (dried seaweed, nuts, dried berries, annie's organic bunnies, etc), her teeth were prone to tooth decay! I remember her mom asking us if it would be okay that she had a little bit of the above pictured gum after she had snack! We didn't mind at all.

W is for Walking Sticks

2011-04-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

My class pets are walking sticks. Since we got two weeks off for Spring Vacation, I thought I ought to take the suckers home with me. I didn't want to have to go by the school every few days to make sure they had food. We got our first batch of them from one of the other teachers at school. She has a whole 5 gallon tank of them!

Here's a close up of at least three of them. Two are hanging straight up (one on the left and one on the right) and the third one has its legs extended.

Here's another shot of some other ones in the tank. We started out with 9 but as the vacation has progressed, I have lost two of them (at least!). Not sure what is causing them to die. They've got food. They're not lonely..who knows. I just hope I still have the rest of them when school starts back up again!
When we first got walking sticks for our class, we hadn't set up a habitat for them. They were just in the fish tank with scraps of newspaper at the base. Each week, we would clean out the tank. The kids (who liked holding the walking sticks!) would take a stick, play with it, etc. while I cleaned out all the poop. We have since created a cool little habitat for them so we haven't been cleaning out the tank as much since there is now soil and I just kind of let nature take its toll.

V is for Victory!

2011-04-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

(Gotta love Johnny Drama!)

I did it! I have been able to come up with an alphabetical topic to post for each A to Z day during the month of April. Granted today's post is V but what you didn't know is I have already written my posts for W, X, Y and Z! I couldn't come up with anything initially for V until after I completed the other letters. Things I learned for next year (should I attempt this again):

*coming up with post topics early (if possible) makes things SO much easier

*this challenge can be draining

*it is so worth it in the end

Congratulations to everyone else who made it to the end. I appreciate those of you that made time to comment on my A to Z posts too! :)

U is for Unfold

2011-04-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

I have been busy knitting up a storm over the last day or two. This afternoon, my U for today came to me. :) First here's a finished though blocking shot of my pea soup.

I probably added two more pattern repeats to make up for the laceweight yarn I decided to use. I love the ruffle. :) I love all things that ruffle.
This morning, I used this:

to cast on for

a close up:

The pattern is damask by Kitman Figueroa. I have been very skittish of all her patterns. The reason being, I don't like casting on 100+ stitches. It causes me great stress. I'm just not good at it. I either end up with too much on my long tail cast on or not enough. Am I bad at estimating certain things? Definitely. Hence the reason why I am not so great at casting on 100+ stitches. It typically takes me two tries. The perfectionist in me might even go for a third because the second try I usually end up having too much leftover. Here's to hoping I don't run out of yarn! The one good thing about starting with so many stitches, is eventually the stitch count decreases. Yowza. I just looked at the last page of the pattern and I have to get through 126 rows before I reach completion. I'm about to begin row 15. Sigh.
Now here's where Unfold comes in! As I was looking at the written pattern (the chart and I just weren't jiving too well), I thought about how knitters start with a pattern (pictured above) and then what unfolds is this amazing beauty. Granted my beauty is still in her baby stages but she is surely shaping up to be something special. Next on my list will be an aphrodite. The hubs and I already took a look at the beads at the local Beverly's. When I get closer to casting on, I will probably take my yarn with me so I can match it up to some pretty beads. I'm excited to knit my first project with beads! I've been looking for something inspiring.

T is for TV Teaching

2011-04-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

I originally was going to post about my love for tv but then thought of two other great T's-tea and teaching. Well, if you read my P is for Psychology post, you now know that I decided to head in the direction of teaching around the time I graduated with my Bachelor's degree but then my story skips to the present where you find me teaching Kindergarten in my hometown. So I'm going to try to fill in the blanks.
After I graduated, I was told I had a month (maybe more) to find a job or else I'd have to move back home (the horror!!!!!!!!!). I wasn't really sure how I could go about finding a teaching job. At the time I was living in a house with three other gals, also students at SFSU. One of them we referred to as 'Mom' because she was the married one out of the three of us. I asked her if it would be lame to just start calling places up from the phone book and she said not at all. So I gave it a go and that's how I landed some of first interviews. Since I had some experience in a head start facility, I figured I would give preschool a try. I think I went on two interviews and it was the second one I knew I wanted. I ended up starting in March of 1998 (having graduated in January of that same year). It wasn't much but it was better than nothing. I absolutely loved teaching preschool. I worked with the 3 and a half year olds at the time. The teacher I had taken over for had gone on maternity leave but she would be returning at the start of the following school year. Fortunately for me, the school ended up losing another teacher to maternity leave so I officially had a position working with the 4 year olds for the next school year.
Preschool was SO much fun. It was way more fun that Kindergarten has been that's for sure. I spent two years at that particular preschool. I think around the start of my second year, that was when I decided if I could handle preschool, I could definitely tackle elementary school so I began making the preparations to apply to grad school and take all the required exams. I applied to one and only one school. Friends asked what would I do if I didn't get in and my response was that I'd just apply again. At the time, I was also entertaining the idea of doing school psychology. The only good program was in San Diego and I wasn't quite ready to move 'that far' away just yet.
I was accepted to the one and only school I applied to and then began my teaching credential program (and Master's program) in 2000. It was a two year program. By the time 2002 came around, I was burnt out. The last thing in the world I wanted to do was teach!! I took about 6 months off and was rejuvenated again and was ready to get back into teaching. My first stop? Preschool. I knew the only way I could find my way back into it was to start from when I first fell in love. I did 6 months of preschool and during that time I decided I was going to pack up, move to LA, and find a teaching job there. And guess what? That's pretty much how it happened except I found a job before moving and packing everything up for LA. It was a different time then.
Teaching isn't something that just anyone can do. This I know. In my 'many' years of teaching, I have come across many different teachers. The ones I dislike encountering are the ones who are only in it for the money (what money??!). They do exist though. Unfortunately, the kids see right through them and that is where the lack of respect begins in a classroom setting.
I have always been a teacher who treats all students with respect. To me, it is the only way they are going to give it back to you. Parents respond to teachers who treat their children with respect. By treating the families we serve with respect, we are showing them that we care. Teaching is a caring profession whether people want to admit to it or not. You can't be heartless and be a successful teacher. It doesn't work that way. Teachers are not the only teachers in a child's life either. Sure we have degrees and have to attend professional development seminars, but parents are every child's first teacher. We just take over when the parents need a break!

S is for Sleep

2011-04-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

In the last year or two I have lost an inordinate amount of sleep. I know I won't ever get it back but I do like to think about what life would be if I just got two more extra hours each day (which only happens when I am off from school!). I also think about how different things would be if the day just began two hours later than usual. Granted it would end two hours later but I'd have so much more energy at the start!
I don't always nap to make up for the sleep lost. Who has time? I used to make time everyday around 5 or so for a little nap. For me 20-30 minutes is quite enough.
Do I try to go to bed earlier to make up for the loss of sleep? Ha. You'd think I would have the sense to do that but I don't. Once in an while I will but for the most part, I am in bed at about 11, 11:30, sometimes midnight if I'm watching something or working on a project!
I can tell you that I am more mindful of my need for more sleep. I am also trying not to screw up my sleep patterns too badly while I am on break from school. I have been going to bed at about the same time as I normally would if it were a work day. The only difference is I don't have to get up at 6:30 to get ready. I naturally wake up around 9AM sans an alarm clock. The drawback to getting an extra two hours of sleep, is everything just starts later. I get ready for the day later and I'm more lazy.
I've noticed that I don't recall any of my dreams now that I haven't been getting nearly enough sleep. It makes me wonder if that's typical. Not that I've always remembered my dreams, but I at least used to think that I had some!

R is for..Respect

2011-04-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

As a classroom teacher, I sort of expect my students to have respect for themselves and for others. It is my belief and understanding that respect is something that is taught/learned. I hope (expect really) that most parents/adults have taken the time out to teach or at least model for their children what respect is.
In the last few years, I have noticed an increasing decline in the level of respect children have towards their elders (not just in the classroom). Are grown-ups slacking off in the respect department? What's going on?

I suppose in a classroom, the lack of respect isn't as bad as it is in normal everyday life. A prime example are the children that living in our apartment fortress (which consists of three separate buildings, hence the term fortress!). They will run up and down the stairs and the hallways. They will loiter out in front of our apt. They don't hang out inside their homes, they have to be in the hallway, sitting their, blocking the walkway. Really?? The hubs has yelled at them a few times. He has even chased a few before! When he has asked them to leave and go home, they just stare at him blankly as if they don't speak the language. We've decided that these are the types of things they have learned from their parents. It is widespread here. The entire community could use a training in respect. Part of it has to do with the fact that a lot of the young children in this community (up to elementary age) have parents who are not that much older. That is where the cycle begins.
It used to be that, children knew to say please and thank you or even excuse me. To me, manners sort of go hand in hand with respect. Is it because our values have changed in the last 10 to 15 years? Now it seems there's more focus on children being technologically savvy or able to read than to know to wait their turn to speak or even wait until a person is making eye contact with them to know when to speak. All of these things (to me) encompass respect.
I spend my days, reminding children to wait their turn to speak or how to notice the social cues/even pick up on body language when they want to speak. Sometimes it makes me wonder if when they are at home, if they just start talking while their grown-up multi-tasks (which we are all guilty of). I am trying to teach them to make eye contact with a person when they are speaking to someone. I am also trying to create a foundation of empathy within each little soul that enters my class. They're not going to just pick it up from drinking the water. Everything is learned. It's a tough job. There's a lot of disconnect going on that I am not happy with at all.

Q is for..Quilts

2011-04-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to learn to sew for years now because I eventually wanted to learn to make my own quilts. I love the beauty and intricacies of them. I learned to knit before I learned to quilt. Knowing how to quilt requires knowing how to use a sewing machine. The hubs purchased a mini-sewing machine for me two Christmases ago but I honestly have no idea how to use it. Plus I'm scared I'm going to sew my fingers onto something. lol. There are sewing classes at our local fabric store but I just have yet to take the plunge. It is definitely fear-fear that I'm going to be horrible at it. When will I overcome that fear? Who knows but it better be soon. I've got a mini sewing machine calling my name!

P is for..Psychology

2011-04-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

I was a Psychology major when I did my two and a half years of undergrad studies at San Francisco State University. My first two years of higher learning were spent at the local junior college (not by choice). I was given a car instead of a ticket out of here. I wasn't a fan of Sociology or of Anthropology. I knew I wouldn't make a good English major. I got by in Math. History? Meh. Art? Meh. Sciences? Ha! So Psychology it was because it encompassed so many things for me. One of my favorite things to do in high school while hanging out with friends was people watch and try to figure people out. I still like doing that! So I'm going along taking all my classes that I need to graduate with a Psych degree when about a year before I was going to graduate, a friend of mine who was about to graduate with a Psych degree said to me, "You can't DO anything with just a Psych degree!!!!!!!!" She freaked me out.
It was then that I had to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation. Here I was about to graduate and I had no idea what I wanted to do after graduation. I began to ask myself what comes naturally to me? The answer? I didn't want to face it but it was inevitably going to be my destiny. Being with children came naturally to me. Next step was to double check that this wasn't just some crazy notion. I started looking into preschools. I started volunteering at a Head Start facility in the TL district. Being that I was a college student, I didn't go every day that I was supposed to (I had to be there by 8 AM!) but when I did go, I had fun. I was amazed by the whole Head Start phenomenon. I began thinking that maybe I could get started at a Head Start and eventually work my way behind the scenes.
This was also the time I decided that I could probably get a minor in something while I figure out my next steps so I opted to minor in Special Education. My favorite class of all was Intro to Atypical Infant Development. I wanted to BE my professor (I still kinda do!). My second favorite class was Human Communicative Development & Disorders. Granted the subject matter was not one for everyone but I was enthralled. I was beginning to open the door (and my mind) to the idea of Speech Pathology. It didn't hurt that there was a really cute boy in the Speech Path program that I got to admire everytime I had Atypical Infant Development!
In my eyes, it was too late to go back and take all the necessary courses for Speech Pathology. I was going to school on the parents' dime. They would have killed me. So I had to settle for the next best thing, a Bachelor's in Psychology with a Minor in Special Education.
Here I am, 13 years later and I currently teach Kindergarten. Do I get to use my Psych degree in the classroom? I should say yes. Yet one of my parents who just recently found out I had a Psych degree had the audacity to say to me,"So what happened?" The nerve! Do I wish I could go back and do Speech Pathology? A thousand times yes but I keep thinking it's too late to do.

O is for Ojo

2011-04-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I wasn't feeling so great. I woke up and then I had the runs. I went at least 4 or 5 times before the hubs went off to work. Before he went off to work though, he had cuddled with me in bed and was just looking at me and he was crying! I asked him why but he didn't answer.
Flash forward to the rest of my day, I felt horrible. The runs finally subsided and I thought I was okay but I knew what I was in for next. The chills came! I was eating crackers and having Sun Drop (the closest thing here to 7-Up!). But I wasn't eating much. I tried to go into the living room for a little bit but didn't last for very long out there (I was too cold!). I went back to bed, but just laid on top of the bed and waited for the hubs to get home. Once home, I was completely burning up (101 degree fever) and he decided he had given me ojo which might've occurred while his tears were falling on me.

The video is all in Spanish but basically they're talking about the superstitition, what the belief is, and they show how to rid the person of it. The hubs pretty much rubbed an egg over most of me-though not on my bare skin. I started to feel better but here's the weird thing I noticed. He only rubbed the egg on my upper torso (that's where he focused) and he only rubbed it a bit on my legs. SO, the upper part of me felt okay but everything was in my legs. The belief is the egg absorbs all the evil spirits and once done rubbing the egg all over the infected person, you crack it into a cup with water and place it underneath where the infected person sleeps (preferably right below their head) and wait to check it the next day.
The top picture isn't my particular egg (I can't ever get a good pic of them when he does it-this is the second time), but it's exactly how my egg looked this morning.

N is for..Not Enough Hours in a Day

2011-04-17T23:43:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't you agree? There are so many things I wish I could get done during the course of a day but work seems to get in the way. lol. Thankfully, my spring break is approaching quickly. Two glorious weeks of not having to wake up and go to work! I can't wait for summer. :)
My inbox is backed up. I'm starting to develop a pile of letters. I'm getting burnt out on cooking. I have bookshelves I want to move and some redecorating to do since the sil and the kid are finally and completely OUT. I have tidying to do because now there's space for all of my teaching stuff to be hid in closets instead of out on our porch. We just might be able to use our porch as an actual porch. Too bad we face the north (no sun!). I don't even have enough time (really energy) to sit and knit or read. Thank goodness for Spring Break.

M is for Michael J. Fox

2011-04-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

My second celebrity crush growing up was on Michael J. Fox. It was so much more intense than my first celebrity crush (Luke Skywalker circa Return of the Jedi) that I even went so far as to write a fan letter. I remember receiving an autographed photo of him (which I'm sure I no longer have). I tried looking for it on google but can't seem to find it (or I just can't remember what it looks like). This one comes sort of close. Though I remember him being in more denim?

I just admitted to the hubs the crush I once had on Michael J. Fox. I told him it lasted up through Bright Lights, Big City and after that, I was over him. I couldn't tell you who I had moved on to--possible Corey Haim by then? I get to relive those youthful days by watching reruns on The Hub. For the most part, the programming on the Hub is for children but in the evenings, it's all reruns from my childhood-from Happy Days to Doogie Howser, M.D. lol. TV from my childhood is probably one of the few happy memories I have from that time.

L is for Love

2011-04-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

It's a bad picture but that is the front of our thank you cards from our wedding two years ago. It took me 34 years to find the love of my life. I am a big believer in both fate and things happening for a reason. I met my husband at a tint shop down the street from my LA apt. Little did I know at that moment that he was going to end up being my husband. We talked for a couple hours and I left thinking I had made a cool new friend. After our first date, which was at least a week after we met (I had help following the single girl dating protocol from my then engaged coworker that I carpooled with!), I already knew that this relationship in particular was going to be a big one. The last thing I wanted to do was screw it up which is something I am was pretty good at.
It has been through this relationship that I realized I wasn't ever in love before I met my husband. What I thought was love was something unlike what I feel now.
Love is unconditional. Love is knowing what the other is thinking without them even voicing it. Love is knowing exactly what the other needs. Love is knowing exactly how the other feels when things go well or even when things go poorly. I can only hope that the people who I love are able to experience this kind of profound love.

K is for Knitting (too!)

2011-04-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that with some letters, I can easily come up with a topic and I can just schedule the post to magically appear. After I typed up my entry for Kindergarten, I took a shower and realized there is another very important K that is a bit dearer to my heart (it's true!) and that is knitting.
I first began to knit the summer of 2004. I had already been in LA for about a year. It took me three tries to figure out how to knit. The first person to try to teach me (if I remember correctly!) was my ex-roommate's younger sister. Then I remember going away for a professional development excursion (a week long training, most expenses paid to San Luis Obispo) and one of the other teachers from my school tried to teach me too. If anything, I got more confused when my coworker (who eventually became one of my best friends at the time) tried to show me. lol. Upon my return, a new friend that I had met through MySpace knew how to knit and offered to teach me. We met up, and it finally clicked for me!! The difference was that my final teacher took into consideration that I was a lefty and had me mirror what she did. It worked! I have been knitting ever since.
Here's my first scarf ever.

It was made out of Lion Brand Boucle. It was before I developed an air of snobbiness or at least before my fingers met the likes of malabrigo. I mostly made scarves that first year of knitting. Then I moved onto baby stuff and hats. After hats, I got real brave and made my first pair of socks.

They're hideous (blame the yarn) but they were my first pair! It took me a couple more attempts to finally get it 'right.' After socks, I went onto dishcloths and fingerless mitts. Nowadays it's lace and cowls.

Knitting keeps me grounded. I haven't knit a stitch since early last week and it's starting to show. I'm crankier than usual and my temper is short. Must. Knit! I knit only for a small handful of people. No one gets how special it is to receive a hand knit item (aside from a fellow knitter/crocheter). The hubs appreciates all the knitted items he now has in his possession and my sister has warmed up to the idea of having a sister who knits.

K is for Kindergarten

2011-04-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten is nothing like what it used to be. For a while, I thought that preschool was the new Kindergarten but I have to tell you that is no longer true. Kindergarteners are now expected to be reading (at least by the end of the year). When I taught first grade a few years ago, my expectation was that my first graders were reading by the end of the year. How quickly things change!
In order for Kindergarteners to be reading by the end of their Kindergarten year, preschools (at least state mandated ones like Head Start) are focusing more on academics. It's a shame. When are kids supposed to have fun? When are they allowed to explore?
My Kindergarten class is deemed as a developmentally appropriate K class. Though I have to tell you that I do feel the stress of needing to whip out readers by the end of the school year. How can one not let this expectation bother you?? I feel as though I am doing a dis-service to my students if I am not teaching them to learn how to read. But you know what? About half of them aren't developmentally ready to learn how to read so why push? That's how I look at it. I have to remind myself on a daily basis that it isn't my fault if so and so just doesn't quite get it yet. He's just not there yet and it's okay.

J is for Jam (or Jelly)

2011-04-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

As a child, I was a big fan of Concord's grape jelly. I didn't like strawberry jam because I didn't like the huge clumps of strawberries. I didn't like orange marmalade because it tasted funny. Somewhere down the line (probably at a breakfast place), I discovered blackberry jam. Blackberry jam is now my go to jam, specifically Knott's Pure Blackberry Preserves. Yum!

I especially love it on Komissbrot bread from this bakery toasted with a dab of butter. The sour and tart go very well together! :)

I is for...I can't keep up!!

2011-04-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

With this A to Z challenge, my blog reading world has opened up to about a thousand awesome, fantastic, and stupendous new blogs. My google reader is up to the 100s! I can't keep up with everyone's posts! Usually I try to catch up on blogs over the weekend but this weekend was different. I spent a majority of my time moving stuff, cleaning, etc. Thank goodness for spring break which begins this Friday 4pm, pacific standard time! And I get two entire weeks off!!

My original I post was going to be I for Individuality. I am a person who doesn't tend to follow the crowd. I used to make sure I didn't do things that everyone else did. I haven't seen any of the Harry Potter movies (no interest). I am not on Facebook (definitely NO interest at all!). I don't have an iphone (nor do I want one). I just recently began texting (like in the last year). Is it that I don't like change? No, that has very little to do with it. There is just no draw for me to the aforementioned things. With texting, I still believe talking on the phone is better but a few of my friends work in an office and spend the entire day answering phones. They are the ones who I will text.
I am definitely trying to teach my students that there is nothing wrong with being different or not going along with the crowd. There is one particular student who has a difficult time transitioning and rather than call all the attention to him, I let him come over when he's ready (unless it's taking him longer than usual!). They are used to this. We have a student at our school who has cerebral palsy and in the beginning of the year, she came to talk to our class about why she has a walker and why she walks the way she walks. Whether or not this lesson taught will be with them for the rest of their lives, is solely dependent on the individual.

Baking, Yarn, and School

2011-04-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

It has been difficult to not get to do a real blog post with an actual account of what has been going on with me for the last week! This blogging A to Z is definitely a challenge. I've attempted to include some of what's going on with me in some of the A to Z posts but it is a tad bit difficult.
*I've been so distracted that this post didn't even get published when I had intended to post it (Sunday).
Last week, there was baking. I tried out a recipe for cookie cupcakes.

It was super simple but I made a mistake! Instead of using the filling as a filling, I used it as a topping. lol. Dummy. Oh well. They were still yummy. Next time I'll use the filling correctly!

Some yarn arrived this week too. Both bear the same name, Katherine Hepburn.

This one in sock weight.

And this one in bulky weight.

Such a lovely colorway. The sock weight will most likely end up turning into a shawl. Though I'm not sure about the bulky weight one.

This week, the 2nd through 8th graders at my school are going to begin our state's standardized tests. Somehow, myself, two other classroom teachers, and three teaching assistants are going to have to occupy 72 (+/-) K-1st graders for about 2 hours. Our school is such that you hear pretty much everything. I am hoping for zero rain.
Today was day one of having to manage 72 K-1st graders. It was chaos..especially since two of the teaching assistants didn't get a break until 11 (and those two teaching assistants are needed during that 11 o'clock hour). Sigh..I have to figure out how to make it work. How'd I get to be so lucky? Who frickin' know.

H is for Home Improvement

2011-04-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

For those of you that have been reading my blog for at least the last few weeks, you are aware of the fact that my SIL and her kid are moving out. Well, they have physically been moved out since around the first but their shit still lives here. She still has a key and she obviously has yet to notify the management office that she has moved out. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sick of their crap still being here. Today I decided to start moving stuff into their mostly empty (but STILL dirty) room.
In the process, there is now crap everywhere (and it isn't just hers!).

This is the new knitting room.

This stuff used to be in our bedroom closet but now that I have a second closet, some of this is coming out!

This is the room they once inhabited. It's only part of it, the hubs is on the other side on his computer!
Before I started moving everything here and there, I actually vacuumed the room they once lived in (for nearly two hours). Can we say disgusting? I of all people know how messy and dirty children are from my years of teaching. Is it just me or aren't you supposed to clean up spilled messes as soon as they happen? The floor is totally gross. Stains of spilled Hawaiian punch, hot sauce, cheerios, candle wax, glitter glue, mascara, etc are on the carpet and they aren't easy to take out (even for an anal cleaner like myself!). I intend on charging her a cleaning fee since she couldn't take the time out of her awesome life (that's sarcasm!) to finish moving out of the last place she lived. Am I disappointed? Yes. Do I feel as though this person has no respect? Hell yeah! And that poor kid is picking up on everything her mother does.
Our home improvement doesn't only involve furniture. It's the overall environment that is changing in more ways than one. I can breathe a little bit easier these days too. Thankfully, it is all for the better.

G is for...Georgetown Cupcakes!

2011-04-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

I've thought and thought all day for something for G and it finally came to me, while watching 'DC Cupcakes!' Though I have yet to visit Georgetown Cupcakes, I'm addicted to the show. I love Katherine and Sophie. I love that they are sisters and decided to open up a cupcake shop together. I also love the amazing cupcake projects that they do! In Season 1, I was in awe of the cupcake project they did for the Greek Festival. It made me wonder if every cupcake shop took on projects like this or just them. I'm still wondering about that! I don't love all the mishaps that occur because of Mommy! I do love that they now have a helper this season for all the projects and that they invested in a company van!

Okay, in some non A-Z news, Free Ice Cream at Ben and Jerry's! Click the link to find out when. Also,

bring in a travel cup on Earth Day (April 22) and receive a free coffee or tea at your local Starbucks!

F for Friends

2011-04-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

I am a someone who keeps only few really close friends and these friends remain in my life for as long as they can until we somehow lose touch, one of us moves, etc. Sure I make new friends but the depth of that friendship depends on the connection I am able to establish with said new friend. My longest running friendships have been made with pen pals! I won't go too much into that yet as I hope to use that for my P!
I tend to be picky about who I want to be friends with and that comes from experience. In my younger days, I wasn't so picky and my Johari window was wide open! I have established strong friendships with people fairly quickly only to be extremely disappointed by them afterwards. Once I stop being someone's friend, that's usually it. I am not one who will give someone another chance unless they ask for it and they actually deserve it.

My wonderful friend, Tanyia, nominated me for the Stylish Blogger Award!

Thanks hon. It's been quite a while since I received any type of blog award. Here are the rules:

Thanks the person that gave you this award and link back to them.
Share 7 things about yourself.
Award 10-15 blogs you feel deserve this award.
Contact these bloggers and let them know that they got this amazing award.

Here goes with the 7 things about myself!

1. All my cars are volkswagens (it just sort of happened that way!).
2. I love watching reruns of "Happy Days" and "Laverne & Shirley."
3. I like sitting on the floor!
4. I handwash my hubs's white shirts because we don't ever have enough whites for an entire load.
5. I wear colored socks because they're fun and they're easier to match!
6. I love trying new recipes.
7. I tend to listen to the tv rather than watch it. I like it for background noise (you know, compensating for the lack of another adult at home!)

And now here are my nominees: Robyn of Knit & Purl Mama fame, Jane of Maiden Jane, Kim from Just Sayin', Dawn, the knittinwolf, Rachel of Bmore crafty, and Deb of Hakucho. Thanks for being so stylish!

E is for Eye

2011-04-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

The hubs had eye surgery early Monday morning. They didn't give him anything for the pain and he says he could feel everything. To me the craziest thing that I nearly saw was the surgeon giving him a shot to numb his eye. I kept moving to see where exactly the surgeon was heading with that needle but I couldn't see where it ended up. I had to ask the hubs and he said that sucker went directly into his eye. OUCH!
Yesterday he went in for his post-op appt. He still can't really see out of that eye. He has another appt. with another eye doctor at the practice next week. This doctor is going to see if this first surgery will allow for him to really see what is going on and when to schedule to next possible surgery. Maybe then the hubs' eyesight will really improve.

D is for Daytime Television

2011-04-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

It could also be for Ditch Day (not that I'm ditching work today without a legitimate reason!) Today was day two of being off work due to the hub's eye surgery (which will be my topic for tomorrow!).
There isn't much on daytime tv anymore. So many talk shows from Nate Berkus to Dr. Oz to Rachael Ray and then when the noon hour hits (depending on which channel you're watching), the soaps begin. Now growing up, I used to watch Days of Our Lives (another D!). I 'outgrew' Days around the time when Marlena was possessed. Then I somehow got into General Hospital. I stopped watching GH for years but somehow got back into it while I was living in LA. The evolution of SoapNet or DVR hasn't helped this need to keep up with what's going on in daytime tv!
Something that I find funny about daytime tv is even if I'm no longer a regular viewer, just seeing a commercial is enough to give me an idea of what's going on particularly with Days of Our Lives. GH is a different story and I have only recently begun to wonder why that is. I also start to wonder why do these writers allow story lines to drag on for SO long? I used to think that maybe I could pursue a career as a screenwriter because the story lines for daytime tv or even primetime tv weren't too complicated!
In any case, daytime tv is just a way to pass the time. If you're at home with a little one, are sick, or just decided to take the day off, it serves as an outlet for adult interaction. It's filler until a real life grown up gets home.

C is for Challenge

2011-04-04T18:01:00.000-07:00

I am late to the A to Z Challenge but I haven't missed too many days (plus I just made up for the two I missed!). The lovely, Tanyia, has been doing this challenge and it wasn't until today that I was able to click on her link to check it out. There are over a thousand participants! I thought I'd give it a shot, why not? And if I falter, that's what post options are for, right?
Life in the last year or so has definitely been a challenge. If you have been following this blog for a while (or you know me), you are aware of all the things I have had to deal with over the last year. Things were finally looking up but we've hit yet another snag in the road. Wouldn't be life without a few snags, right? I can only hope that this snag will work itself out like all the ones before it have.

B is for Blogging

2011-04-02T17:38:00.000-07:00

I have been a blogger since 2006. What first drew me to blogging was all the cool knit bloggers I was keeping up with and becoming friends with through sites like Knitter's Review. I thought, why not? I also thought it was a good way to keep track of the things I have knitted. As time went by, many knit bloggers began to find it difficult to keep up with their blog because of their day to day life was becoming more hectic. It was around that time, when my blog began evolving. I started to feel as though this wasn't just a forum to share the latest pair of socks or lace shawl that I had just completed. I began to feel like it was time to let the true side of me come out which I did but it happened to be at a time when my life was beginning to bottom out.
During that year of bottoming out and life just hitting me with blow after blow, blogging helped me through it all. Blogging about all those experiences also left me with a place to go to remember how bad life had gotten (who wants to remember that?) but at least I have it written down so I can say that those awful things did happen to me.
Blogging is also a place where I have made many wonderful friends. I have also seen lots of amazing stuff! So keep it coming, people. :)

tortilla making and my winnings!

2011-04-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

For one of our last projects before our school gala, my clay class made tortillas! The mom who has been helping me for the last few weeks knew how to make flour tortillas so that's what we did. I went online and sought out another recipe to share. For the most part, that's what her recipe was like. I made some the other night and I kind of like the idea of having homemade flour tortillas and actually knowing how to make them! Next I will learn how to make homemade corn tortillas! :)

Here's the dough.

Here's one of my tortillas frying on the pan.

And here's a finished tortilla!

They were a bit too thick but that's okay. It was my first time trying them out. I'm sure with practice they will improve.

There has been very little knitting this week around these parts but I have caught up on my letter writing (for the most part!). I also finally finished my first book of 2011! I completed Spoon Fed by Kim Severson. It was a good read and even provided a few recipes after each chapter. This week, I also received some of the books I have recently won. :)

I won this one in a goodreads contest.

And this one I won from a contest on Robyn's blog. :)

I usually read a snippet of any book I just get and both are going to be good reads (whenever I get around to them!)

I survived my first Gala at my school. Boy does it need a lot of work. There's got to be a way where the teachers are able to enjoy it at least a little bit!

The hubs is going in for eye surgery on Monday so I am off work Monday and Tuesday. I just might be able to finish up my pea soup if I try really, really hard!

A is for Alphabet Recognition

2011-04-01T17:28:00.000-07:00

(Gotta love post options!)

As a Kindergarten teacher, alphabet recognition is something I have sort of been fighting with during the course of my first year at my new school. Coming into this school, I was told that the school does not believe in the direct instruction of reading. So that translated to me as no direct instruction of anything reading related, including alphabet recognition. I have struggled with this oh, for the last 7 months. I have taught Kindergarten before (granted in Southern California, and at a private school no less) where the kids entered Kindergarten knowing all their letters, how to write their name, and knowing most of the sounds (save for a handful of children who were clueless and were your quintessential Kindergarteners).
When this school year began, I was in for a major shock. Less than half of my students knew all their letters and even fewer knew all their sounds. Up until now, I have felt as though I have been doing my students a dis-service by not directly instructing in phonics, alphabet recognition, etc. SO, a switch went off in my brain and I decided regardless of what the school believed, I wanted these kids reading. Over the last couple of weeks, I have begun doing centers. I have three groups which are based on the results of the alphabet recognition check I did before Winter Break began. We meet daily and the kids love it. I couldn't tell you if those that weren't picking up on learning all the letters of the alphabet are starting to now but there's a joy in the classroom that had been absent for the past 7 months.

wow!

2011-03-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I was checking out a friend's blog and I saw that she had cool fonts on her blog so I had to see if I could have some cool fonts too! I also uploaded a pic I took myself. :) I wanted to try to upload some of the garden pics from my wedding a couple years ago but the files were a bit too big. Next time. I'll figure something out.
And now I present to you, the package my sister sent the hubs and I of some Chicago treats.

She made a batch of lavender rosemary shortbread after having gotten her hands on some lavender oil (finally!) and she sent some peanut butter and chocolate bars which I actually really really liked. She also sent some chocolate from the Blommer Chocolate store.

I was in need of a cup of tea and found some Yogi tea in Refreshing Mint and here's my 'fortune'

Isn't that awesome? It was quite befitting for the day I received it which was Thursday night (when I last blogged!).
The final picture of day is progress on my pea soup:

I haven't touched it in a number of days. Let's see how much it will grow once I get two more pattern repeats completed.
We have had three separate rain storms hit us. I'm sick of the rain. Isn't sunshine supposed to accompany Spring too?

on the up and up

2011-03-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

As of yesterday, our living situation just got a lil bit brighter. My SIL and niece are moving out April 1st! Not too long ago we heard back from the office regarding our re-certification. We were told that if all three of us remained, we would no longer qualify for our current apt but if my SIL and her kid moved out, the hubs and I would still qualify without her. SO, he did some seed planting. I've just been waiting it out and sending up a prayer every now and again so I guess it was answered. The funny thing is I also learned that the house I've been eying went down in price (and is now more within our price range)! This has been a very busy week. I have been having conferences every day this week. We have been having minimum days so that we are able to conduct our conferences. The children are welcome to come and most of mine have. It has been funny though. It is interesting to see how the behavior changes when they're with a parent and their teacher! Some of them acted the same but others...wow wow wee! It was such a shock to see how shy some of them became.
I finished snow and somewhere down the line, I did a MAJOR, MAJOR screw up. But it's already blocked. Oh well. It is still pretty but the sizing is all wrong. It is blocking under my bed still so pictures probably over the weekend. I picked my my pea soup again and figure that I don't mind doing more pattern repeats than listed since I did decide to make it using laceweight. I figure I have two more pattern repeats and then it'll be at a decent length. I am itching to make a new pair of mitts. I printed up a bunch of different patterns and will probably cast on for at least one new pair this weekend.
Next week I will be getting observed by my director and the asst. director. The date kept getting postponed and now I have both of them watching me (just like they did when I first interviewed there). Talk about deja vu! I will be doing a Science activity which will be a two part thing. I figured I ought to do something fun. We will see how it goes.
All right off I go to catch up on some blogs!

no tsunamis here

2011-03-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

We woke up yesterday morning to seeing the news guy talking about reverse 911 calls going out in Santa Cruz county and how if we were going to be affected, it would be at about 8:15 am. Fortunately, there wasn't any damage here because we are much more inland. But there was definitely damage in Santa Cruz, a LOT of damage. A couple of coworkers live out in Santa Cruz and two others live right off the coast as well but they all made it to work yesterday. Could this be only the beginning?
In other news, I finally finished the pair of socks I cast on for early last month.

They are SO comfortable. The yarn I used was a dream to work with too! I am on the third repeat of the first chart for snow.

The yarn is growing on me. At first it wasn't easy to work with but with time, it has increased in softness! I haven't touched my pea soup out of fear that it really is going to end up much smaller than I would like. Maybe I'll pick it up tonight and make the final decision.
Things at school are going well. I did reading centers for the very first time this year with my class, and it felt like heaven. I have 10 Kindergarteners that can read and the other 14 are still working on letter recognition. I haven't decided if this is going to become an everyday thing or not. We only really have time for it on Fridays but I will try to work it into the schedule now that there is an actual desire to learn to read! I also want to start journals soon. It is an exciting time. :)
On Wednesday, we decided the fate of the defendant in the trial I was a juror for. Though the judge booted us out of the courtroom before we could hear her ruling. I am curious to know what she decided! Oh well. I guess we weren't meant to find out.
It has been a looooooooooong week. I actually woke up yesterday (sans an alarm clock) thinking it was Saturday! Oh well. I had the best sleep! It was the first time in a long time that I've slept so well.
Okay, back to your regularly scheduled Saturday!

my day in court

2011-03-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you it felt like the longest day ever? I somehow ended up on a jury! I was shocked when my name was even called for the second group to leave the big room where all of us potential jurors were waiting. I didn't expect to be called. I guess that's what happens in small towns. They try to use as many of their potentials as possible. We are not due back in court tomorrow but I will have to return on Wednesday. The chairs are at least comfortable but after a while of listening to boring talk, they lose their appeal.

I didn't bring any knitting with me as the hubs checked online before I left (to see what the word was about the needles) and he said the website said no. Phooey. I stayed up to transfer my socks onto dpns and my shawl onto bamboos. Oh well. I didn't even bring my water bottle. We are at least allowed that (boy was my mouth getting dry!!). We can only have the plastic ones I think. At least we get an hour and a half for lunch. I just hope after Wednesday, my duty will have been served and I'll be good for another two years.

We are going to try to go down to the bank tomorrow (hub's only day off as far as I know) to see about qualifying for a home loan. My friend at work says if I want to get into a house by the end of April, we better get crackin'. :P Sigh..

here's what's going on

2011-03-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

Here's the sock I worked on while we were in LA.

I haven't touched it since though (unfortunately!). I hope to work on it tonight.

Here's some yarn that arrived from three irish girls.

Here's some leftover pretzel dough from when the kids made pretzels for Enrichment.

Here's what I did with the leftover pretzel dough! It took me much longer than I anticipated so they ended up being crunchier than I had intended. The awesome recipe can be found here. It was so simple and the pretzels taste amazing!
Tomorrow, I am due for jury duty. I've set aside some letters, some books, and possibly some knitting to take with me.
Update on my father-in-law-he had to have another surgery but he is now recuperating home.
We have also been looking at houses online. I found our lease and saw that it is up May 31st. We already know we are not going to be able to stay in our apt (too much longer beyond that) so here we go again. :P Moving sucks..especially before the ending of a school year. Good thing I haven't used all my personal days. They are going to come in handy.

emergency trip

2011-03-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

The hubs and I had to make a last minute trip down to LA for the weekend. His dad had surgery on Friday and he really wanted to be there for him. We left Saturday afternoon and got back last night. His dad is still in the hospital but was supposed to have been moved out of ICU at some point yesterday. He is in recovery. He is okay but I don't think the worst is over just yet. There's talk of a second possible surgery but we will know more once he recovers from this last surgery.
While we were back in LA, we managed to spend a lot of time with my awesome friend, E, from my old school. We finally used our gift card to Hurry Curry and we had to make a stop at Boba Time. The best boba in the WORLD!! Oh, how we miss our Boba Time. We also stopped by Santa Monica Place to see the completed renos. It's very different from what it once was. We weren't impressed. It's too much like Century City and in our eyes, one Century City Plaza is enough.
Near the end of our trip, with all of our drive time (going from one end of LA to the other twice), I decided to work on my second sock. As of last night, I have turned the heel so I'm not too faraway from completion.
Today is National Pancake Day here in the US and IHOP has been giving a free short stack all day today. So in honor of National Pancake Day, here are some recipes I stumbled upon today: Bread pudding pancakes, tiramisu pancakes, and the fluffiest pancakes EVER. Enjoy!

movin' along

2011-02-21T14:13:00.000-08:00

Though I have been dealing with bouts of lack of inspiration, I still decided to cast on for some new projects. I tried working on my second sock the other night but wasn't interested so it's set aside for now. I had intended to finish it this month too and kind of gear myself towards getting a shawl and a pair of socks done each month. HA. I forgot about lack of motivation.
Without further ado, I present to you, pea soup:

I'm worried that it may end up being a bit too small since I'm using malabrigo lace. Not sure how that happened. It was on a whim apparently. It is knitting up quite nicely though. If anything, I'll just add another section if need be.
Last night while watching reruns of Who's The Boss, I cast on for snow:

It is a slower knit but I know it is going to be gorgeous. Not qure sure if I'm going to keep it white. I have been entertaining the idea of dyeing it once it's completed. We'll see.

Amidst all this knitting, I have been busy drying rose petals. I called one of our local flower shops asking for leftover flowers-you know, the throwaways. Here's what they gave me:

The picture is horrid but you get the idea that I was bestowed about 2 dozen red and white roses. I didn't even want roses! The petals are being dried for a jewelry clay I intend to make with my Enrichment class once all the petals are dried enough. Then I realized that for my Mother's Day, my kids could do something like this too. We'll see how things turn out. I've made this tea leaf dough before but not with 20+ kids. I hope I have enough flower petals!

surrendering

2011-02-19T14:23:00.000-08:00

Well, our lease will be up in about 3 months time so we are up for review. We were sent a notice for our appt. which is scheduled for next week. I have been pretty mum about the living situation only because it is not solely my dirty laundry that will be aired. The honeymoon period ended probably around Thanksgiving (if not before then). Granted the hubs and I have little in common with my SIL and the monkey but the distance between us has grown immensely. So much so that for a while now I have been saying that if we never saw them again, I could care less.
There have been an insufferable amount of poor choices made by a certain someone in this household. We don't even waste our breath anymore because she continues to spiral out of control. But guess what? She's supposed to be a 'grown up,' right? It's her life. So if she wants to continue on this path, far be it from us to interfere. We stopped caring months ago.
In any case, what I knew was going to become our reality, is becoming more real with each passing hour. She told me that she *might* be moving out for next year. It would have been nice to have found this out before I called to reschedule our appt. for next week (because while doing that, I could've put us on the waiting list for a 2 bdrm!) but stupid is as stupid does. I have been waiting for her to say something for the last couple of weeks. It is going to be such a relief to have them truly out of our hair. Apparently she feels they are 'ready to get their own place'. Good luck.
SO, we are looking at possibly having to move in (again!) within the next three months. We may just be moving into a 2 bdrm in our same complex or we just might be moving into a house of our very own. We are keeping our options open.
This is off-topic but I must share these awesome links I've found. The first is for homemade cake mix and the second made me think of a very special friend! Hope she likes the link. :D

uninspired

2011-02-15T22:19:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day, the hubs took me to see Gnomeo and Juliet which was really cute!
I finished one of my socks so far. It's a little big (which is what always happens to me. but by the second sock, I've got it down. lol!).

Then on Sunday I took ill and have been doing a whole lot of nothing except lying in bed watching reruns on the Hallmark Channel, and on Soapnet, and watching a bunch of movies that were on tv. Fortunately I was off on Monday and I took today off as well. I had a fever on Sunday which still lingered as of yesterday but I finally kicked it last night. Still recuperating today until about the afternoon time when I finally started to feel 'normal' again.
The hubs got me some candy for Valentine's Day.

And today we picked up this package at the p.o. from my awesome friend, Tanyia. Thanks hon!!!

It had arrived yesterday but with me being sick, I hadn't checked the mail for a couple of days. There is lots of candy, homemade oreo cookie bark, a very cool heart-shaped bell, a snow globe, and some über cool soap in the shape of roses (but don't smell like roses!).
As of yesterday, I was feeling uninspired with regard to my pile of shawl patterns waiting to be completed! I realized that I do indeed own some plain white (ish) laceweight which I plan on using for a kaliope (or maybe a chianti!). We'll see. I wound it earlier this evening and intend to start knitting at least one shawl tomorrow night (and get back to work on that second sock!).

100th Day of School

2011-02-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

Today marked out 100th day of school. It was so crazy busy that I didn't even get a picture of any of our 100th day festivities. I can just tell you about it. We partied with our neighboring class and we invited the 1st and 2nd graders to celebrate with us. There were stations for making necklaces with cheerios and froot loops. There was a station to make 100 glasses (these were classic!!!). A station for coloring crowns and a coloring page. There was also a station (the one I was in charge of) where the kids were presented with 10 different snack items (pretzels, peanuts, cheez its, raisins, marshmallows, fruit snacks, goldfish, m&m's, popcorn, and jelly beans) and had to count out 10 of each. I had wanted to do a measurement station with 100 paper clips but there wasn't any time. Fun was had by all. My room was an absolute and utter mess! I have enough cheerios to last me until the end of the year. I also have enough snack food to last till then too! There's another celebration on Friday in honor of Valentine's Day.
Now coming into my school, I was told that we don't really celebrate Christmas and we really don't celebrate Valentine's Day. Can I tell you I was super crushed? Both are my favorite holidays in terms of kid art. They are by far the best and to work at a school where you just don't do that stuff, it's been tough. There has since been further clarification though. Our founder just doesn't like how commercialized both holidays have become which is understandable. So next year, I am going full on Valentine's Day hearts everywhere!! This year, we're super behind. I have lots of making up time to do. I think we are going to start talking about friendship and what it means to be a good friend. Then we will go into Valentine's Day and how you make valentines for the people that are your friends. Christmas is still a bit iffy just because some don't celebrate but I think I was fortunate in that all my students celebrated Christmas. What I DO like to do is discus all the various festivals of light that occur at the same time but it is difficult to do when you don't have the support of the parents to do that. We'll see how next year goes.
As an aside, I saw this really cool thing that I had to share. If you try it out, please do let me know! I hope to try it out one day.

life goes on

2011-02-06T18:16:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to figure out what I have been up to while I haven't been blogging. I guess I've been watching lots of tv! I have also been knitting.

I began and completed the centrique shawl last month. I didn't want to make a small or a large (I'm so difficult). I wanted to make a medium and I think I did. It is still blocking. I'm going to give it a few more days before I steam block it as well.
I had this great skein of yarn that I thought was going to make another amazing shawl but as it turned out, that skein was really destined to be a future pair of socks.

The pattern is the Edwardian Boating Socks from the Loumms Year of Socks Extravaganza. So far so good. I'm about 2 pattern repeats away from starting on the heel flap.
Last night, I was feeling a bit guilty though so I picked up this puppy again after months and months of it just sitting in my knitting bin next to my bed.

I did a couple of pattern repeats late last night while watching the Golden Girls. Then I did a couple more pattern repeats while watching Gilmore Girls. I have a renewed love of Gilmore Girls. How I miss the banter between Lorelai and any of the characters on the show. I am going to try to get this thing finished (at least in time to wear for the spring or summer).
There has also been baking this weekend. Though no pictures! I had saved some cookie dough from the spice cookies I made over Christmas and I was craving chocolate chip cookies so I made some oatmeal chocolate chip and pecan cookies. It's amazing we still have any left. :)
I have been perusing lots of recipes as well. There was this one, this one, this one, etc!
During the week, I went on a field trip to my alma mater with my boss and one of the teachers. It was great fun and my fellow teacher and I got a lot of great ideas.

I have also been busy selecting future projects (shawls and socks) that I want to work on this year. So stay tuned!

ho hum

2011-01-25T19:53:00.000-08:00

The narratives have been turned in and then I don't know what happened! I might've gotten caught up in planning for this semester's enrichment. My theme for the next few weeks is clay and dough. Tomorrow we will begin with making kool-aid playdough, my favorite. We will see how it goes.

I managed to finish my sister's socks. They went through many transformations but they're finally completed and are currently blocking. I hope they fit her okay! Then I cast on for a centrique. I also went through all my laceweight yarn to select future shawl projects. I'm considering attempting 11 shawls in 2011 but we shall see. I made a list of all the shawls I might want to make this year. I printed a bunch of them today and can't wait to get started. A couple require beads though so those will have to wait.
Work is going all right though there are some major changes that will be taking place come the end of the school year..

better late than never

2011-01-05T19:32:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to frosting/icing my leftover naked butter and spice cookies. lol. They're still delicious. Can you tell I was having fun creating different colors?

So that's what I did last night...and this morning, I did this!

I love the fit of these. They're not huge and bulky like most mittens are (around the fingers). They fit just right. Might make these sans the texty thumb feature. They are currently blocking. Hope my sister appreciates them! When they're dry I hope to get some modeled shots. :) Now to work on those socks for that girl...

first of many (i hope!)

2011-01-02T17:47:00.000-08:00

Well, last night I left you with the intention of having a finished mitten to present. That didn't happen. But I do have a finished hat to show off! :)

I haven't blocked it yet. Wanted to take a finished shot of it before blocking. Okay, off to do some work!

progress

2011-01-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

I stayed up super late this morning (aside from watching a bad lmn movie on demand-which actually wasn't TOO bad!) to do a little work on my sister's hat. I'm tempted to keep it. It's a bit further along than in the picture now.

When I finally woke up, I began working on my sister's mittens (finally!). They aren't further along than in the picture.

I like them so far. I don't think I'll be frogging them anytime soon. I hope to have at least one mitten completed before the end of the night (ambitious, I know!).
As for the hat, I SO want to keep it. I tried it on for the hubs and he said it's SO me. I don't think I've mentioned yet what hat I eventually cast on for my sister since the whole beret idea got shelved. I cast on for a better bucket hat. Can I tell you the provisional cast on was keeping me from ever beginning the hat in the first place. I tried several. I finally found one the other day but I stupidly forgot to bookmark it. The gal who came up with it is brilliant. Maybe if I do some more googling, I'll find it. Well, it's similar to this version but that's not the one I found the first time around. Wow, I learned how to do the turkish cast on. lol.
No narratives for today. I have this strange headache and I can't focus for some reason. Maybe later tonight..I seem to work best when it's late.

the last day of 2010

2010-12-31T18:13:00.000-08:00

This year has been marked with disease, family strife, financial woes, and a few new beginnings.
Let's focus on the good stuff, shall we?

The hubs and I moved into our own place.
My sister moved to Chicago.
I am teaching again in a classroom of my very own at a school that I actually kind of like and might even see myself working at until I'm old.
I reconnected with an old but still very dear and important friend.
The monkey started preschool.
The hubs went back to school.
The hubs just started a new job.

Not too bad, right? I think the good might actually outweigh all the bad this year has brought. I am SO glad we are hours away from this year being over. I am almost positive that 2011 is going to be less drama-filled (at least that's what I'm hoping!) and maybe even less of a financial nightmare too.

In terms of knitting, I completed 33 projects this year and ten of them were shawls!!

There were only two pairs of socks, one face mask, six hats, four cowls, two pairs of ear warmers, four scarves, one pair of mittens, and two pairs of fingerless mitts.
For 2011, I'd like to get back into a few more socks. I think I might finally cast on for that vest for the hubs. I might even finally cast on for an audrey in unst for myself (good thing I waited..it would've been a tad big on me and I'd have to gift it to my sister!). I also want to cast on for some endpaper mitts. Got the yarn all ready (it's been sitting out on the floor for weeks now!). Before I set my sights so high, I still have to finish the pair of socks I began for my sister, the hat I should be working on right now, and possibly the OMG mittens (but I'm still on the fence about my yarn choice!).

In terms of reading, I didn't fare as well as I had hoped. I guess that's what happens when you're easily distracted by your job as a teacher. :P I was only able to complete 25 novels. Tori Spelling was quite popular with me this year. lol. Amidst my 25 reads, there were some really good ones. I think my favorites for the year would be (in no particular order): My Life in France, Eat, Pray Love, and The Help. The last two have been key in my journey through 2010.

Resolutions for the new year? I haven't taken the time to think of any yet. When I do, I'll let you know. I can tell you that I went through this apartment and did a much needed cleaning/de-cluttering which says to me that I don't like entering a new year "dirty." I vacuumed, most of the trash is out (still need to take the rest of the recycling down!), the laundry is done, and my bedroom floor is clear once again. Clean room, clean conscience, right?

With that, I am off to work on more narratives. I've got about 4 done and I had challenged myself to get 3 done today (and it's after 6!!).

May you all have a fantastic new year!

in recovery

2010-12-31T01:38:00.000-08:00

Christmas came and went and seemed to swallow me up whole. It didn't end when I realized (days later!) that I was suffering a horrible bladder infection the day after Christmas. I spent the entire day in bed-unable to move and fearful of the next time I was going to cough or sneeze or what have you. This was my first time having a bladder infection and I don't wish it upon anyone (so I say now!).
During my bed rest, I was afraid to close my eyes during all the tv movies I was watching for fear that I wouldn't wake up! We didn't go to the ER or even to see a doctor because the next day, I was actually feeling better.
I am guessing since I was doing such a horrible job of taking care of myself these last few weeks, that eventually something was going to catch up with me--something bad! I had lost my voice earlier in the month, then I had a dry cough which sort of lingered. You'd think that I would've increased my liquid intake but I did no such thing. Then the DAY before Christmas, I had a cold and couldn't taste anything and I still had a cough which had sort of worsened. My body was seeking revenge against me and therefore, late Christmas night what I thought was just too much crap was possibly the onset of my bladder infection. It wasn't until Wednesday that I sort of started feeling like myself again.
So while I have been gone, there have been a couple of finishes, another trip to Christmas in the Park, and lots of baking!

I finished the beret for my SIL. I ended up frogging the one for my sister. When I went back to work on it, I noticed all the errors I had made with the cables and I just kept picturing her wearing it and it wasn't flattering. I have since cast on for a new hat using the same yarn.

I finished the hub's face mask which is super duper warm. I finally gave it to him yesterday!
My sister and I went up to San Jose to go pick up my friend who was flying in from Portland. Before we left, I had suggested that we go check out Christmas in the Park (but only if my friend was going to be okay with it!). We ended up taking the monkey and my SIL with us so it was inevitable that we were going to end up at Christmas in the Park!

Even though you don't get to see all the Christmas lights during the daytime, there are SO many things to see like this countdown clock! In all the times I had been, I had yet to notice it!

There was less people and we were better able to take pictures of things. Not to mention the lighting was SO much better during the daytime!

I liked the ornaments on this particular tree. I took a pic so that next year, my assistant and I can try to make these cork reindeer with our kids!

Me as a tree!

The monkey sneaking on Santa's sleigh..

And my goofy sister as a snowman.

And now for the few baking shots I have..

Here are the strawberry poinsettia cookies I attempted to make.

The still unfrosted butter cookies I made..and I didn't manage to get a shot of the spice cookies I made. My sister came over LATE on Christmas Eve and the girl baked until about 2:30 in the morning. I don't know how she did it!

Christmas was nice. We ended up just staying in. We had waffles for our first Christmas in our apartment. This Christmas was one where new traditions can begin. I think butter cookies will be a continued tradition as will the waffles. We ended up opening our Christmas gifts later in the day too so that just might be another new tradition..we'll just have to see.

Happy Birthday!

2010-12-30T23:59:00.000-08:00

Today was the hub's birthday. Luckily, we had most of the necessary ingredients for me to make him some homemade cupcakes with homemade frosting!

Yet another quiet evening at home. Since returning to "normal," I have been hard at work on my narratives (aka progress reports) which are due the week we get back from vacation. I'm a bit of a primadonna when it comes to composing my reports though. I have to be sitting at a desk (as far away as possible from a tv!!!!!!). I must have earphones on too so I can listen to pandora or something else. I also noticed that I don't really start to get to work until about 3 in the afternoon! That must be why I can only get about two done a day.. I completed my first one yesterday and emailed it to our director for some feedback and she said it was pretty good for being my first one at our school ever. :) Now I just need to git 'em done (which is much easier said than done!). Narratives are much more difficult and thought provoking than a check list and a comment section. Though I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. They provide a unique snapshot of each individual child. I'm sure the parents appreciate them too.

Last minute holiday startitis

2010-12-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

In all the years that I have been a knitter, this is the first year where I will be giving more than one handmade gifts. With our cash flow running into the toilet, I didn't want to NOT give gifts. I also didn't like having to tell certain people that their Christmas gift from us was going to be late. Why I decided to start Christmas gift knitting THIS week I couldn't tell you. I cast on for a slouchy for my sister.

She hates them but I'm trying to make her more versatile. lol. I kept saying if she would wear WHATEVER kind of hat I made for her and she said yes. She started to figure out what I was talking about. It has been slow goings. I need to focus!!
I want to cast on for these too. They are SO her. She keeps telling me she doesn't want mittens because you have to take them off to do stuff..well, the person that designed these is a genius if you ask me!
Yesterday, I decided I needed to cast on for something for my SIL. I decided on something called cuckoo.

It is actually a fast knit. I am already at the last repeat for the hat body and soon I'll be working on crown decreases. I stayed up VERY late last night knitting and watching tv. I hope she likes it. She has a lacy pink one that she picked up at a shop and she wears it all the time. I figured this color would go with anything.
I have also been working on this.

I am a few inches away from completion but I'm sure I'm going to run out of yarn. I haven't decided yet what I am going to do. I have some paton's merino wool in a similar shade but I also have some more debbie bliss in a contrasting shade as well. Decisions, decisions. I better decide quick!

Oh, I also managed to cast on for my sister's first pair of handmade socks!

I gave her a pair before she moved to Chicago which she wears every night!

I gave her another pair the other day.

I'm pretty sure I won't finish the socks in time to give to her as a Christmas gift but they'll be finished before she goes back to Chicago.
Back to the knitting!!

gingerbread

2010-12-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

This week, I sent home a family homework assignment. It was to decorate a paper gingerbread. The only rules were that it had to be done as a family and that they were welcome to use whatever they wanted. I've done this at most of the schools I worked at. I wasn't expecting to get many back because the last time I did this project at a charter school. I only got a handful back. Boy was I surprised yesterday morning!

Fifteen of my children remembered to do the activity. Two of them made more than one gingerbread. I will try to get better shots of them on Monday. They did a really good job and I made sure to tell them! I am hoping to get more on Monday especially since one of my students was out and was really bummed that he wasn't going to get to turn it on yesterday.
Last night was also my first work Christmas party at my boss's house. I dragged my sister along. The major selling point was free food and free liquor. lol. It was an interesting event. Many parents (particularly on the board!) still don't know who I am which isn't a big deal to me. I kind of like my anonymity.
I finished my mitts that I started earlier this week so I will try to post a finished pic soon!