Running, contacts, school

It's been awhile since I came on and I guess I have a few things to update. I went for a run today. Kind of a big deal for me even though it was very short. Dave's trying to get me into running so I'm trying to be willing. It just isn't that easy when it's not very fun. :)

I finally got my contacts about a week ago. I've had glasses for about 14 years so I guess it was time for a change. I haven't decided if I like them or not. On the first day at school when I didn't have my glasses on the students made a lot of comments like "You look weird. but I can't figure out what's different." ... "I like your glasses better. I mean, if you like contacts, that's fine, do whatever makes you happy, but I like your glasses." (From a 15 year-old girl.) Good thing she didn't shatter my self-confidence, hey?

All week the students were feeling really free with comments about me. On Thursday I found out some of the seniors keep track of what I drink... whether it's water, PowerAde Zero, Diet Green Tea, or Diet Mountain Dew. That day they asked me if I've been feeling okay because it was the second day in a row of DMD. and they knew on Monday and Tuesday I had had the tea.
A girl in another class commented on my shoes. I think she realized I wear one of two pairs at school. I wear my boots to school and leave my shoes there.

In US History the students are having their last World War II test on Monday. Kind of sad for me because it's one of my favorite things to teach and for the most part the students really enjoy the lessons. Time to move on though. In World History we just finished a really fun unit on the French Revolution and Napoleon. {At least I thought it was fun!}

I have a niece!!

I got an awesome phone call this afternoon from my brother Bob. He and Maria are parents! :) A baby girl, born this afternoon. Everyone's doing great!

After four nephews, there's now a girl in the picture :) It's going to be fun!
The sad part is I don't know when I get to meet her. They live pretty far away but I'm hoping that before too long I can get out there.

Whirlwind weekend

We're back home again after a whirlwind weekend in the car. We left on Thursday after school and headed south to visit M, E, and the boys and Julie. Plus Dave had to get some stuff done at his house. Friday we went to the Windy City, then out to the suburbs to visit Dave's sister and her family. (Thanks E and K!) Saturday Dave worked and I hung out with his sister and nieces. Had sauna and visited with some friends in the evening and came home today.

Our weekend in 2 words: Family, Car. Good thing we travel together so well :)

I figured out that since we've been dating, we've gone on a trip together every month except August. Pretty good, hey?

Tomorrow the second semester starts. Halfway done, folks! The countdown is on now until spring break (March 27th btw) which hopefully will include a tropical vacation with my sister(s) and friend(s).

Sick :(

I got sick last night around 6:00 and thought it might just be a few hour thing (pretty much everyone in my family has been sick and most of them were better after 6 - 8 hours). No such luck. I threw up everything I ate yesterday. Lucky for me the throwing up is over but it's changed to aches and pains, a headache, a stomach ache, and a fever.

This is exam week so it is literally the worst days of the year to be absent :( I'm hoping I'll be ready to go back on Wednesday.

Geez

Hope everyone is having a good January! I've been hearing lots of comments lately about how people hate (or strongly dislike) this month... I'm hoping you all are finding ways to enjoy the middle of the winter rather than get down about it. The past couple of days we've had up here have been unreal for getting outside and being active. I'm loving the sun! Just a couple of minutes out there does a body (and mind) good :)

Exams are coming up this week and last year this was my most difficult week of the year. I've tried to get some work done ahead of time to help myself out for next week but it's only possible to some extent. There's still the matter of grading over 100 exams in a three day period. But then it's worth it because if all of my grading is done by Thursday I can take Friday off!!

Have a great weekend!

My 2010... so far

One of my random posts...

• Dave's working weekends again so we're pretty lucky. We get to see each other for most of the week. I'm enjoying this for now because his work schedule is so unpredictable he may be leaving town at any point... for any amount of time.
  
• I've had a huge appetite lately. That's weird for me. I've started working out so maybe that's connected?
• I'm so into World War 2 right now. Dave got Band of Brothers for me for Christmas so we've watched a couple of episodes. I'm teaching WW2 in US History right now and Band of Brothers is helping me with some of my lessons. Might be weird but I love teaching this unit. It's something I feel I know a lot about so I'm really relaxed and I'm working on keeping the kids involved. They're getting excited about it so 3rd hour has been really fun lately. I sometimes wish I could teach this unit for an entire year. Wouldn't that be a fun class?!
• My government students are at a great point right now. I wish they came into their senior year at this point - it would make for a really great semester. Right now they have the background knowledge to really discuss things, have opinions and back them up with the facts :) Unfortunately we have government for one more week, then it's econ so it's kind of like starting over.
• That's all for now
  

11 states in 5 days!

Kelly and I went to: Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana in 4 days... and on the 5th I added Minnesota to that list. It was a whirlwind few days but definitely fun! We had some quality time in the car to visit, unlike the one hour here and there we've gotten for the past few years since she's been in Optometry school.

These are in random order because I'm too lazy to move them around...

I liked the matching {old!} lights. There is so much old-style detail all over the French Quarter in New Orleans.
We didn't eat here but checked out the courtyard that leads to the restaurant. Cool textures.

Kelly and Elvis in Nashville.


Back to New Orleans. See, I told you they're in a messed-up order. {Old} French Quarter on the bottom, {new} disappearing sky-scrapers above. It's a cool city if you ever have a chance to go. I was there before Katrina and going back I could see that the city has changed. Lots of positive energy though... jazz on the street corners, tourists checking out the city. We were there a couple of days before the Sugar Bowl {between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Florida Gators [Florida won]} so there were tons of football fans walking the streets.


I don't think I had seen cotton fields before this trip. I don't know if I really captured it in this picture, but they are beautiful. After passing by many in southern Alabama, I convinced Kelly to stop so I could take some pictures. I would've taken more but the farmer was across the field {singing a song I didn't recognize}.


And back in Nashville on Legends Corner.

Thanks Kelly for a great time!

From December