Monday, October 27, 2008

Zucchini and Tomatoes

I am not a political person. I don't like politics...and don't much care to talk about politics. I'm already sick of all the talk between the candidates - and at this time, with the election so close - it's just intensified.This cartoon describes it pretty well! This next cartoon, while equally as good, reminds me of one of my students - Kaia. Now Kaia is a dream...an absolute sweetheart...extremely bright...just an all around exceptional young person. A few weeks ago at her parent-teacher conference, her dad told me that Kaia had asked him who he was going to vote for. His answer, "The lesser of the two evils." Kaia didn't know what that meant, so he told her this:

"Which would you rather eat, zucchini or tomatoes?" he asked her.

"Yuck, neither one. I don't like either one of them," Kaia answered.

"No, say you HAD to eat one. Which one would you eat?"

"Well, I guess I'd eat zucchini."

"Exactly," said her dad. "I'm voting for zucchini."

Kaia understood. Now all Room 8 (my classroom) understands.

Thanks, Peter!

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Rema brings me a gift from Nada...in Texas!


This is a chunk of granola...
It came out of this bag. You may notice that there isn't much IN this bag.. That's because I ate it. My dear friend, Rema, just returned from a trip to Texas to see some of her aunts. Nada, one of these aunts, is also a friend of mine. Nada, bless her soul, sent me some granola...some 'OH MY GOSH, THIS IS DIVINE' granola. So after just simply munching on it, I actually used it with my favorite lunch.

Let's start with the best yogurt... Nancy's yogurt .... Nancy's Plain, Non-fat yogurt... Nancy's that packages her yogurt in No. 2 plastics. (I thank Nancy, the environment thanks Nancy...)
Besides the yogurt, I had an apple and a bowl. You'll also need a knife, spoon, and of course, granola from Nada. If you can't reach Nada, or if you run out of Nada's granola (as I have done), you can get a high quality granola. It'll just have to do.
Start by spooning some yogurt into the bowl.
Cut your apple in half.
This is what it will look like once it's cut in half. (Just in case you're a beginner at this, I thought I'd show you a picture.)
Cut it again. This will now be in fourths. (A fraction lesson!) Now you're ready to start dicing it up. CAUTION... be careful. Notice how close that blade is to my finger? CAUTION...
Just drop those diced parts right into that bowl of yogurt.
Oh geez! BE CAREFUL with that knife!
...especially when you get down to the end. Actually, this is usually when I just eat that part.
Now stir it up. If you're out of granola, you have my permission to eat it just like this. I do it all the time.
Fortunately for me, however, I have Nada's granola. So I can just start dropping some of it into the bowl on top of the yogurt/apple mixture.
Keep pouring it on....
...a little more...
...just go ahead and empty the bag... (NADA...I'm OUT!)
Now...look at this! Oh yum!
It's time to taste...
...and taste again... That's Ashley in the background. I think she was curious what all this was going to taste like.
Oh... my favorite lunch of apples and yogurt was totally made divine by Nada's granola.

Thanks, Nada!


P.S. Just incase you were wondering how in the world I was able to take pictures while I was making this delectable dish, I wasn't. Introducing my photographer: Vanessa!Didn't she do a great job? I knew she was a woman after my own heart when she got excited for catching the granola in the air as I was dropping it into the bowl! Way to go, Vanessa!

Monday, October 20, 2008

He's 55!

Look at this little guy! Isn't he adorable?

It's my guy... just a few years ago. Today, he has officially become a 'senior citizen.' Doesn't that start at 55? Ron is the 'middle child'... the wonderful 'middle child'... the middle son. Here he is with his older brother, Larry. Here we are almost 39 years ago! Geez, how could that be? I think Ron was on John David's bike. I remember that day so well!

My guy has been my best friend since I was 14 and he was 15... guess that's about 40 years!
He's is the absolute best!

Happy Birthday... to my best friend who never reads this blog! :)

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Happy Birthday to Thalia!


I love this picture... Thalia and her Mimi. (That's me!)

I can hardly believe how much she has grown... she's in 4th grade, the same grade I teach. She and I have talked MANY times about how fun it would be if she lived here and could be in my class. I miss being close to them, but know they are happy where they live.

I have been going back through pictures I've taken since I had a digital camera...and some of my favorite pictures of Thalia. When 'my favorites' became too many to post, I went to 'my favorites of my favorites' - which is still too many. So, here are some pictures of Thalia that I love -
Thalia with her Uncle Gabe - in April, 2006With her Aunt Lindsey - April, 2006How cute can you get?Oh, how Thalia loves Ozzy!
April, 2006April, 2006Thalia and I had gone to the zoo...April, 2006

Thalia absolutely loves to draw...and she does it so well!

It was on this trip in April, 2006, that Thalia learned how to ride her bicycle!This was taken in late 2006 or early 2007. What a cute apron... is Joshua requesting scones?Erica sent me some photos taken this day at the beach. This is probably my favorite of that bunch.

I love, absolutely love this picture! So sweet, laying in bed reading High School Musical. Thalia is an incredible reader!

Ahhh, Erica and Thalia... I'm so glad they came into my life!In June, 2007, Joshua and Thalia came up to visit. Thalia wanted to 'go see nature.' We did.

Not only did she want to 'see' nature, she got up close and personal with a banana slug, which ended up putting us in a national magazine! This isn't the photo they published, but I actually love it better than the one they did.In June, 2008, Josh, Erica, and Thalia came to visit...actually, all our family came, including Saddy! Thalia, still crazy about Ozzy, brought him over to play!

Thalia's love of art is still strong!

Still wanting to 'go see nature', we ventured north.

Thalia and her Papa.

Sometimes, seeing nature, can make a Mimi a little nervous... Even though Thalia is an EXPERT RIPSTICKER, a Mimi still gets a bit nervous watching!

This was Ladies-Day... all of us went out to eat Japanese food. Thalia instructed her Saddy how to use chopsticks!

The Ladies....


Happy Birthday, Thalia!