never-ending tasks

scary

I guess there is some comfort in always having something to do, but there are a few tasks that are exhausting in their never-ending nature: namely cleaning and grading.

These tasks are unique in that as soon as they are completed, they need to be done again. As soon as I finish grading and record all the grades, the kids turn in more work and my stack of grading grows to its previously sad/scary height. It is the same with cleaning: as soon as I finish, I can enjoy the fresh scent of ammonia and the tidiness for what feels like a matter of minutes before things are disheveled again and dust bunnies begin to form. The fact that these tasks feel like they can never be completed and enjoyed for a meaningful length of time that make me drag my feet to even attempt them. Although I have found that both cleaning and grading are most efficient when you have a large block of time to devote to doing them. Get a window of several hours and knock it out. Usually music or a good movie in the background help ease the blow too.

Fortunately for me, it feels like time as stood still this week because I have had THREE snow days in a row. With all of this time, I have finally gotten to trhe bottom of my grading pile and have caught up on just enough cleaning to still enjoy the days off.

baby gifts

I have entered the stage in my life where I am buying quite a few baby gifts for friends. For these types of occasions, I like to have a few creative/cute gift ideas that I can come back to over and over again so that I can pick up the present without having to expend to much creative energy or thought. Here are my go to baby gifts. I simply love these darling little books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. They stories are precious and the illustrations could not be cuter.

1. Little Pea and a food mill

In Little Pea, Pea is forced to eat his candy for dinner before he gets to eat his vegetables for dessert. My mom used these inexpensive food mills when we were little so that we could get our veggies.

2. Little Hoot and a sweet baby blanket

Little Hoot is an owl who has to stay up late to play even though he is so tired and wants to go to bed. It is perfect paired with a cuddly blanket.

3. Little Oink and a hooded towel

Little Oink is about a little pig who has to mess up his room so that he can be a good pig even though he wants to pick it up. This little hooded towel (designed by my sister for Target) is perfect for a clean, sweet smelling babe. Or as my great-grandmother would say, "All clean, and no bugs either."

for the love of all that is awkward

Last weekend Barrett and I had a garage sale so we did a lot of clearing out and throwing away. In our pairing down, we found tons of old pictures. Among them was my absolute favorite picture of me and my youngest sister Hannah. Hannah is 7 years younger than me, and this lapse in time made our childhood experiences dramatically different. But one of my greatest joys over the past few years has been watching Hannah grow up and getting to know her as an adult. She is the most fun and adventurous person I know, and where there is Hannah, there is a party!

Hannah and I Summer 2003

This is my favorite picture because it captures her in her most awkward years--middle school. She was going through a hilariously awkward phase that I can laugh at only because mine was worse. But after teaching middle school for a few years, I have formed a deep attachment to children in that difficult and painfully awkward phase. Growing up, I never understood why my mom wanted to have portraits made of us when we were 13 because we were clearly so awkward. But it was because she wanted to capture the simultaneous beauty and awkwardness that only comes in middle school when a child becomes an adult. Looking at this picture and thinking about how beautiful and fun Hannah is now makes me love this picture of her even more.

It also makes me really excited about a whole new batch of awkward kids who I will get to watch God grow in to amazing men and women. Whenever I tell people I teach middle school, I usually get a deer-in-the-headlights look like I might be crazy or like pain. But there is such fun and beauty in the awkwardness of that stage of life because it is a time when so much change and progress are happening; these children are officially becoming adults--reasoning for the first time and developing a sense of humor. I will need to keep this picture in front of me this year as a reminder of how lovable awkwardness can be and how awesome it can become later.

Hannah and I Summer 2010

happy aniversary, baby! got you on my mi-ind!

Today Barrett and I celebrated out 5th anniversary. While most of the day was very normal (except that I had the song Anniversary by Little River Band stuck in my head all day), there was a definite sense that we reached a milestone, however small. I cannot believe that we have been married for five years already. I have loved all the little phases and stages we have gone through so far, and I cannot wait for all of the many and different phases and stages that we have yet to venture into together. Cheers to many more years to come!

Found this card at Paper Source, and it was so perfect for our little occasion.

August 13, 2005

Five years later and still counting!

craftiness

Over the past few weeks, I have been trying to take advantage of every last minute of my summer (thus, the lack of recent blog posts). Tonight, I am trying not to mourn too loudly that I have to get up early and go to work tomorrow. To boost my spirits, I have enjoyed thinking about all that I have done this summer. It is amazing what one can accomplish with lots of sleep and creative energy. This summer, my creative energy manifested itself in a new hobby. . . sewing! My good friend Winsor got me hooked when she got a sewing machine and let me use it. I put a bug in my husband's ear that I really wanted a sewing machine for my birthday, and guess what he surprised me with when I got home from vacation? Yep! He got a fabulous deal on an old Viking. After having it serviced, I was so excited to got my hands on it and knock out some projects. My mom, quite the seamstress herself, loved that I was taking on this new hobby and sent me a package of all the sewing essentials (i.e. Ginger scissors, measuring tape, pins, some really cute vintage fabric, and Martha's Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts). I have been pouring over Martha's wisdom and still have quite a few projects/techniques from the book that I want to try my hand at. Here are some pictures of what I've done.
I made these pillows for our living room. The inspiration was the crewel embroidery I found at an antique mall.

I painted this bench to match our shutters and made these little outdoor pillows for it.

I made this little receiving blanket for sweet Winsor's new baby, Reed. I cross-stitched his birthday on the flannel side. It is not perfect, but still cute.

This little tab curtain in our bathroom is way better than the blinds that were there previously, believe me.

I am so excited to tackle more sewing projects in the near future. But first, I desperately need to make my office/craft space more efficient and inspiring. Check out sweet Katie's ideas here. Maybe that will help me going back to work and being more productive in my time off. . . Here's hoping.

jackpot

I love a good sale. For me the story of the find and the bargain is all the fun of shopping. This is a great season for sales as stores are clearing out summer merchandise but it is still blooming hot outside. Here are some of my recent finds.

From Ann Taylor Loft: Maxi Dress was originally $128 and I got it for $29.99 (the steal of the century), metallic brocade skirt was $9.88 on final sale, coral top (perfect for school) was $14.99, and purple dress was $59.99 (not quite a steal but super cute)

I also got this darling top at Ann Taylor Loft for $24. Did I mention how much I love Ann Taylor Loft? It's an addiction.

From J. Crew: These darling ballet flats were originally $128 marked down to $49.99 with at additional 30% off. So I paid $35--another steal and perfect for school. The rest I found at the J. Crew in Omaha, NE, which is the best kept secret in the Midwest. Since most residents of Nebraska are generally not the most fashion-forward (my mom and sisters excluded, of course), the J. Crew in Omaha is a veritable treasure trove of great deals. All the good stuff actually gets marked down and in normal sizes--it's amazing. I got the grey top for for $20, the pink and purple top for $8, and the coral linen skirt (which is my new summer staple) for $16.

The next bargain I want to snatch up is this darling upholstered headboard from Sears, of all places. I love the tufted back and the wing-back style. At $500, this is a great deal but over my normal $25 budget for great deals. . . sigh. I will have to see what I can do.

cookies

No matter how unproductive and blob-like I have been throughout the day, I always feel productive when I cook. In fact, cooking and baking are some of the things that never make me feel guilty or like I have wasted time. As far as I am concerned, time in the kitchen is almost always time well spent.

The other day I had the pleasure of making chocolate chip cookies. It is unusual for me to go more than a week or two without baking cooking because Barrett loves them. My recipe for chocolate chip cookies is a very special one because it comes from my mom. She would whip these cookies up on command whenever we had friends over as kids. She can mix the dough in 6 minutes flat--pretty impressive. When I made these cookies in college, my roommates would mock their gooey-ness for being undercooked, but years later, they all want to come over for warm cookies and ice cream. I also have made these cookies for my kids for our monthly book club treats, and they quickly became BIG fans (as pictured above). On several occasions, they even offered me money and/or other bribes for some cookies. And now I will share the recipe with all of you:

2 sticks of butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 cup flour
about 1 cup chocolate chips.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift in dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips. Now here is the secret: Bake at 385 for exactly 6 minutes and no longer. They will not look done and you will want to give them another minute, but do not succumb to this temptation. Take the cookies out, and let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes. Then take them off, and I always like to set them on brown paper bags to cool a little more.


A note about chocolate chips: There is a long standing debate in my family between whether to use semi-sweet or milk chocolate in our cookies. My mom and sisters will fight to the death for milk chocolate, but my husband will stand by semi-sweet til the end. So frankly, I am very divided on the subject and would tell you to go with you gut on that point.

For Serving: These cookies are to-die-for served right out of the oven over vanilla ice cream. It is classic and the best! This is Barrett's favorite desert. I always freeze the cookies we don't eat right away. They are excellent frozen--a wonder chewy, little, sweet snack. I know it sounds strange, but trust me and try it. (I used to eat frozen cookies after waking up from a nap on Sunday afternoons when I was little.) But we also like to reheat the cookies for a few minutes in the oven for that gooey ice cream concoction we love so much.

Enjoy some well-spent time in the kitchen and the very productive feeling afterward!

grampa

One week ago tomorrow, my dear grandpa Jerry passed away. His health had been on the decline for the past three years so we are so thankful for the time we had with him. Barrett and I traveled to Nebraska last Wednesday and were able to see Grampy and say good-bye while he was still very alert and conscious. The family spent two more grueling days with him in the hospital before ushering him into his eternal home.

The weekend of his death offered a very unique opportunity to remember what a wonderfully funny man my grandpa was and to share with family and close friends in the real stuff of life. Overall, it was a beautiful time.

Needless to say, I have been thinking a lot about Grampy Jerry and all the wonderful memories I have of him. Here are just a few that have been ruminating in my brain that I will continue to cherish.

- His sense of humor: I was often surprised by the hilarious things that would come out of my grandpa's mouth--most of which were very inappropriate. He was infamous for answering the phone "Jack's Mule Barn, this is Kelly. Jack ain't here." When I was little, I remember being very puzzled by this greeting as we were not at a mule barn and his name was not Kelly, but as I got older, this cracked me up.

- Jerryisms: Grampy had more funny sayings for stuff than anyone I have ever met. As a father of all girls, his word for sanitary protection was "man-hole-covers." He also had countless euphemisms for farting. One time after a particularly noisy one he said, "Well, at least we know that still works." Priceless.

- Grampy's favorite places: No matter what time I saw Grampa Jerry, there was a 99% chance that he was in one of two places: (1) hunched over the kitchen counter watching tv with a cigarette and cup of coffee or (2) sitting in his lazy-boy (with Lady or Scamper, the dogs) in his lap either reading or watching tv with a cigarette. In both cases, he would also be wearing a snore strip. I will never look at that lazy-boy, kitchen counter, or breath-rite strips without seeing him.

- Not knowing a stranger: People have said this about my grandpa for years. When I was little, this translated into him starting conversations with anyone and everyone we encountered (I particularly remember this with waitresses). He spent hours a day driving around town in his blue pickup truck and talking with absolutely everyone he came in contact with. As I grew older, I realized that no matter where Grampy went he made a friend; he was never haughty or intimidated. I so admire his humility and friendliness and hope that I can be more like that one day. I don't think I truly appreciated this trait until it was insulted. The wedding party and family were getting lined up in the church the day I got married, and of course, my Grampa Jerry was chatting (and probably flirting with bridesmaids) when the wedding nazi (the lady from the church with a horrible temper) told him to "Shut up!" I have never been more insulted in all my life. No one tells Grampy to shut up.

- Big guns: When I was little, Grampy Jerry was the strongest man I knew. His arm muscles fascinated me as he had some serious guns. I still don't know how he was so ripped into his sixties.

- Generosity/Stewardship: no matter what I ever needed, Grampa Jerry had something that would do the trick and he was always so excited to give it away. He did this for everyone in town. But the really impressive thing was that in spite of the piles and piles of what looked like junk in the infamous basement, he could locate the item in question without any struggle or rummaging. He and my granny also re-use absolutely everything from margarine containers to pill bottles.

- Booker: In preparation for Barrett's first trip to Nebraska when we were dating, Grampa told everyone in town that my boyfriend Booker was coming. The entire weekend, people were coming up to him saying, "Oh, you must be Booker!" We called him Booker all last week just for old times' sake.

- The Turn Around: Whenever we said good-bye, Grampa would say, "God Bless, good luck, see you on the turn around!" To this day, I don't know what the "turn around" is, but it is comforting to know that we will see him again on the eternal "turn around."

- Luke 2: Every Christmas, Grampa Jerry would recite the Christmas story from Luke 2 at the table. His cadence was so unique. It will be impossible to replicate.

- Salt and Pepper: We shared many meals together as a family, and Grampy was always the last to finish. The family joke was that by the time Grampa was finished putting salt and pepper on his food, most of us were finished eating.

- Open arms: I cannot say that I appreciated or even knew how welcoming and compassionate my Grampy was until I was older. I knew that my grandparents were awesome, but I didn't realize how awesome until I was an adult. When my mom remarried, my grandparents welcomed all seven (yes, 7!) of my step siblings into their family, no questions asked. They were just as much their grandparents as they were mine. I will never forget how wonderful it was to see them welcome so many people into their family.

My Grampa Jerry was truly a unique man. He was friendly, loving, hilarious, and sometimes a little rough around the edges. If you want to get a little taste of what he was like, watch the this video. He will be dearly missed.

happy real independence day!

Even though I'm a little late, I want to take a moment to wish everyone a happy real Independence Day! July 2, 1776, was actually the day that the Declaration of Independence was voted on and ratified. John Adams wrote in his diary that July 2nd would be celebrated by Americans for decades to come, but he was two days off because it took a couple of days for Thomas Jefferson to make the necessary changes to the official document. Everyone actually signed the Declaration on the 4th, and if you ever get a chance to see the actual document at the National Archives in DC, you will see the real copy has the traditional July 4th date. But in the spirit of fun facts and in the spirit of good old fashioned rebellion, I want to wish everyone a Happy July 2nd!

If I may make a suggestion for patriotic reading and movie watching for this wonderful holiday weekend, here they are.

Read 1776 by David McCullough. Even if you are not a history buff, you will probably become one after you read this book. McCullough is an amazing writer, and the story of the American Revolution is absolutely spellbinding. I could not put this book down last summer. As a history teacher, I knew how this story was going to end (happily), but there were times when I was sure that the Americans were not going to be able to pull themselves out of some very sticky situations. This is a great, fun read. In fact, even some of my students read it and liked it, and they are very tough book critics.

Watch the John Adams series done by HBO. This series was released on DVD a couple of years ago and tells the story of John Adams' role in the birth and formation of our country. The acting is impeccable, the writing is excellent, and the production quality is top-notch. A lot of the filming is done on-site in Williamsburg, Boston, and Philadelphia. The scenes about the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence are some of my favorite in the whole series as they beautifully depict the weight of the words of that magnificent document and gravity of those moments in the history of America and the world.

Enjoy and Happy Independence Day!

a successful experiment in mexican cuisine

Tonight, since my husband was gone, I decided to start my journey to learn the art of Mexican cuisine with my wonderful guide, Rick Bayless. This was one of the things I decided to do over the summer while I have more time and energy to experiment in the kitchen. And since they say you love cook what you love to eat, I figured I had better start cooking what I like to eat, which is Mexican of course, in the hopes that maybe this would help me like cooking more. Last night I chose the cookbook, Mexican Everyday, and today I began the journey. The inaugural voyage was fresh tomatillo salsa with spinach and goat cheese soft tacos (double wrapped, of course, in corn tortillas purchased hot and fresh from my Mexican market). I have to say, it was truly amazing. I was disappointed that Barrett couldn't be there to eat it with me, but this way I could cook it just the way I like it without worrying about screwing it up. The recipes were super simple and easy to follow. Good, clear writing is so necessary in a cookbook so I really appreciate it when recipes are well written and easy to follow with just enough information and in the perfect order. In fact, I have gotten a little snobby about the quality of writing in my cookbooks, but as an English teacher, I think I am entitled to that. (Jamie Oliver also writes excellent recipes. His Food Revolution cookbook is amazingly well put together. It rocked my world.)


For the salsa, all you have to do is throw some tomatillos (quartered) in a blender with a jalapeno, lots of cilantro (because it makes the world a better place), some garlic, salt, and a little water. The result is citrus-y and summery and wonderful. (And yes, the spoon is there in the photo because I was eating it by the spoonful. oops. )

The tacos were really simple too. Cook some sliced onion is a little olive oil. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Then cook the spinach (or swiss chard) in the same pan with some chicken broth. Serve in tortillas with goat cheese sprinkled on top.

I am so glad to know that I do not have to go out and pay someone else to have a really amazing Mexican meal. Thank you, Rick!

suitability of mind and purpose

So here it comes. . . more thoughts on David Copperfield. I said I didn't want to leave it behind yet so consider yourself warned.

One of the things that surprised me about this book is that David originally marries the wrong girl. He did not make this mistake in the movie. As a young lad, David falls desperately in love with Dora, the daughter of Mr. Spenlow, David's boss. Dora is beautiful and empty-headed complete with a yippy little lap dog. She is sweet but spoiled, stupid, and naive, and totally ignorant of all things practical. In short, any reader could see from a mile away that this was simply a junior-high crush and that she was not David's equal. But following his "undisciplined heart," he marries Dora. But upon entering marital bliss, he quickly realizes that Dora is but a child and does not have the strength of character to face adult life. In spite of these feelings, David remains devoted to Dora. It is not until he witnesses the make-up of Dr. and Mrs. Strong, David's former teacher and his wife who have been married for many years, after a horrible misunderstanding that his feelings are put to words. Mrs. Strong in speaking about a past love and her gratitude for marrying Mr. Strong instead says, "There can be no disparity in marriage like the unsuitability of mind and purpose."

This beautiful statement struck me in a few ways. First, that David was able to stay loyal to and even love Dora in spite of the great disparity in their minds and purpose. That kind of sacrifice and integrity is something we just don't see often in modern times and it is beautiful. (Spoiler Alert: Dora's weakness is also physical; she dies, and David is able to marry his one, true love and equal in mind, heart, and purpose: Agnes--which any reader could have seen from a mile away, but that's what makes it good.) Secondly, this picture of marriage is a very biblical one. It reflects the command to be equally yoked and also that husband and wife are partners in the gospel--suitable in mind and purpose. Also, for all the single ladies, do not fall prey to "the mistaken impulse of [your] undisciplined heart" as Mrs. Strong would say. Choose a husband who is suitable in mind and purpose rather than being carried away with youthful emotions. Lastly, I am very thankful to have found the one that for me is suitable in mind and purpose.

advice from aunt betsey

I just finished reading David Copperfield, and I must say, I am a little disappointed to be leaving it behind. So, I'm not going to leave it behind. I am going to linger with the characters I have grown to love over the past month. Here is a little piece of advice for life from Betsey Trotwood that I think applies to all. She delivers this little nugget of wisdom before dropping David, whom she has renamed Trotwood after herself, off at school.

"Never," said my aunt, "be mean in anything; never be false; never be cruel. Avoid those three vices, Trot, and I can always be hopeful of you."

Well said, Miss Trotwood.

my happy place

On Saturday night, I went to my happy place--the Mecca of Tex-Mex--Joe T. Garcia's in Fort Worth. Like many others in the Lone Star state, Mexican food holds a very special place in my heart, but without being facetious, chips and salsa really do speak to my soul. As for Joe T.'s, it not only has an amazing atmosphere, outstanding food, but I also associate with very happy memories.

In high school, my best friend and I took special trips to Fort Worth for this special treat, and in college, we always made a special trip to Fort Worth on the way home from the airport whenever she came home from school. Now when I am least expecting it, Barrett will say, "You know what sounds good for dinner? Joe T's." And we will make a date night out of our trek to Fort Worth. So Fun.

The best time of year to enjoy Joe T.'s is in the early summer. Their extensive and beautiful grounds complete with pools, fountains, and all things magical make the atmosphere one of a kind. With a margarita and a fan, even the 100 degree temperature feels good.

The magic of Joe T's even extends to waiting in line. There is almost always a line, and it is usually really long--I am talking Space Mountain in the summer long. But I don't think I have ever waited more than 20 or 30 minutes. In fact. most of the time, we are seated in 10-15 minutes. The past 2 times we have gone, we have arrived and joined the back of a really long line. When that is the case, Barrett drops me off to get a place and he parks the car. But on these occasions before Barrett has joined me in line, one of the hostesses will come up to me, ask how many are in my party, and seat me within 5 minutes. It feels a little wrong to pass all of those people still waiting when I just arrived at the back of the line, but I never ask questions.

But the real reason we go to Joe T. Garcia's is the food. There is no dinner menu because they only offer 2 items: fajitas and enchiladas. (And if you have been to Joe T.'s and had the fajitas, you have never really been to Joe T.'s.) The enchiladas are where it is at! The enchilada dinner is served in courses: nachos first (simple cheese and jalapeno), then beef tacos (fried to a greasy perfection), and last but not least, enchiladas, rice, beans, and guacamole. I always tell people that the sauce at Joe T.'s is magical, but this time we found out that this is kind of true. Our waiter told us that every night, Joe T himself goes into that back and mixes up the batch of sauce for the next night. The recipe for this amazing sauce is so secret that no one is allowed in or out while he is making it. And did I mention the margaritas? They are the best in the metroplex, for sure.

It is just nice to have a place that retains some of the magic of childhood and where everything seems good and right with the world--and where the enchiladas are a spiritual experience.

hair

Today I got a much needed haircut and feel totally refreshed. This reminded me of a hysterical scene in David Copperfield that I would love to share. Background: David and his friend Traddles are going to see his beloved Dora in an effort to convince Dora's aunts, her guardians, that David should be able to court her.

"Excellent fellow as I knew Traddles to be, and warmly attached to him as I was, I could not help wishing, on that delicate occasion, that he had never contracted the habit of brushing his hair so very upright. It gave him a surprised look--not to say a hearth-broomy kind of expression--which, my apprehensions whispered, might be fatal to us.

"I took the liberty of mentioning it to Traddles, as we were walking to Putney; and saying that if he would smooth it down a little--

"'My dear Copperfield,' said Traddles, lifting off his hat, and rubbing his hair in all kinds of ways, 'nothing would give me greater pleasure. But it won't.'

"'Won't be smoothed down?' said I.

"'No,' said Traddles. 'Nothing will induce it. If I was to carry a half-hundred-weight upon it, all the way to Putney, it would be up again the moment the weight the moment the weight was taken off. You have no idea what obstinate hair mine is, Copperfield. I am a fretful porcupine.'

"I was a little disappointed, I must confess, but thoroughly charmed by his good-nature too. I told him how I esteemed his good-nature; and said that his hair must have taken all the obstinacy out of his character, for he had none."

summertime

Many people expectantly ask me, "So what are you doing on your summer off?" And I reply honestly, "Not a lot." The real answer is recuperating from the school year and getting caught up on many neglected tasks around the house--and a neglected reading list.

But my favorite summer time activity by far is paying homage to the sun god and taking in some vitamin D (aka laying out) and spending time with my new found literary best friends while reading David Copperfield--yes, a Dickens! I love the penetrating/scorching heat of the Texas sun, and it has been so fun to get sucked into the world of London in the 19th century with Davy and all of his friends. Dickens is truly transporting. In the original preface to the book, Dickens talks about his mixed feeling upon finishing the book: "the pleasure in the achievement of a long design [and] regret in the separation from many companions." He actually says that he lays his pen down sorrowfully, but looks forward to sharing these characters with the world. Anyway, I quickly fell in love with David, his loyal servant Pegotty, his Aunt Betsey Trotwood, his crazy friend Mr. Dick, and his loving friend Agnes. (I also easily grew to hate the manipulative and creepy Uriah Heep, the sour Mr. Murdstone, and the slick Steerforth.)

Me, enjoying summer as only a teacher can.

Vintage finds

Having decided that vacation is a state of mind more than it is a destination, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and I decided to make a little vacation out of our trip to Paris, Texas, for the wedding. We stayed an extra day, laid out, ate Mexican food, slept, did a little shopping, and generally did whatever we felt like--all of the essential elements of a vacation. Here are the finds I picked up at a little antique store in Paris' downtown square.
These darling mixing bowls with geese--I love how the goose is in a different pose on each one. And these great vintage pennants will find their new home in my classroom since Sam Houston's home and the Battleship Texas are both stops on our Texas History trip.