Student Work

The assignment was to incorporate a simile or metaphor (in bold) from my list into an original poem. This is what one of my more "motivated" students came up with:

I hate poetry-
there's no practical use
for the junk I'm writing
as I sit on my caboose.
Why should we analyze everything
when it's very plain and clear?
Why should we waste away
when we could be out wrestling steer?
The sails on the the ship moved as if being blown by the wind;
there's no hidden meaning!
Why look for fake stuff
the purpose I don't see it.
There is some purpose in classes
just not the junk we're doing.
Instead of reading a book
Let's get exercise by canoeing!

ROFL! I loved it-the rhyme scheme got a little wonky, but I still gave him a 100. He was surprised, but after all the other crud I had read, this was definitely original, and it made me laugh :)

Happy Monday!

Keeping House

Today was such a great day. We were all up by 7:30, awakening to a gray sky and a rainy day. We dithered over breakfast, and put in Jurassic Park. I haven't seen that movie in such a long time. We relaxed all morning, finishing the movie, talking with my pop, snacking, playing. We picked up the house a little, and then when Luke lay down, Hman and I went to the grocery store. I did so good! I really stuck to my list way more than usual LOL.

Since I'm trying to eat better I think I'll start putting up my menu for the week. Maybe it will keep me more organized and on track during the week.

Sunday: Lasagna, salad, garlic bread
Monday: Black-eyed peas, cornbread
Tuesday: Cumin Chicken, Zucchini Casserole, Tortillas, Avocado
Wednesday: Chicken Wraps, Fries
Thursday: Pepper Steak, Rice
Friday: Chicken Spaghetti, salad

(SOS Dad-What's Aunt Betty's zucchini casserole recipe? Hurry! ;) )

So, this afternoon the kids and I got busy and made peanut butter bars and oatmeal muffins, and I made lasagna and roasted 2 chickens for later in the week. I also made Roasted Garlic Oil, which I made into a salad dressing and garlic bread for supper. TO DIE FOR! So so good.

After dinner we walked down to the lake and fed the ducks. It was so weird. At first there were only 3 ducks, but as soon as they had eaten the first couple of bites, birds started cropping up everywhere. They were flying in from across the street, swimming over, all at once. Hman said they must have some sort of telepathy, and surprisingly he's not the first to think that (although it has been pretty much debunked by, ya know, common sense ;) ).

Now the kids are bathing, and we'll put Lukester to bed and settle in with some hot tea, a peanut butter bar, and do our Bible Study.
Then Hman and I are watching either ST:TNG (my choice) or I Am Legend (his). Save me Jean-Luc!

"I believe the lady said no horror movies!"

Until tomorrow!

Going Green

Along with a (hopeful) 100 million people tonight, our family celebrated Earth Hour, by symbolically turning off our lights, surge protectors, and appliances for an hour.

The kids were really excited, and while it's mostly symbolic, it felt good to do something.

Honestly we really didn't mind. We finished dinner (yes, rather late, but it is Saturday) by candlelight. After relaxing on the couch for a few minutes, and reveling in the silence, we did what any family would-played hide and go seek! It was a blast. We played several rounds with Jade winning most. (Although if I could fit in the dryer, I would have won dang it!)

The accounts of worldwide participation are stunning. A clippie:
" In Sydney, where an estimated 2.2 million observed the blackout last year, officials said it appeared at least as popular this time, involving untold candlelight dinners and beach-bonfire parties. The city's two architectural icons, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, faded to black."

I love seeing people crossing all boundaries to work towards a common goal. Canada, Chicago, Dublin, Atlanta, and various IT giants, among others, participated. So beautiful and hopeful.

I didn't know about Earth Hour until earlier today, so I really didn't have time to plan anything. But next year all ya'll are invited to my Green Party. We'll need a couple of musicians, I'll do the cooking, and it'll be BYOP (bring your own plate). RSVP now; I'm sure it'll be a blast!

Livin La Vida Loca

Two nights in a row...


Blue Moon, you cruel mistress.

Chicken Arrabiata and Ale

I was in such a goofy mood today. Like a Friday-before-break kind of goofy...Even though isn't either!
I went out with some friends tonight from work to celebrate our amazing reading scores. We ate some yummy Italian food and then went to the local pub. In our luck a poetry slam was going on, and I got to see a bunch of old friends and professors from my alma mater :D
Ooh and I found a new beer I really like: Blue Moon. Yum-o! It's supposed to have coriander and orange in it, but I didn't really taste that...It's just really good!
We were out a little late, and I must get some rest.
What a fabulous day :D
Cheers!

Oh those wacky wednesdays

My day in pictures:













and for Jade:



:O

A friend of a friend had an extra ticket and invited her to go! She was so so excited. She's on her way home, and she said she had the best time :)

Tonight at church Jana hot a couple of awards for Missionettes, which was very exciting for her.

And now it's time for a quick walk and then !

Night!

My hero

Watch the whole thing if you can. This is so beautiful and powerful!

Poetry Monday

The Hymn of a Fat Woman

Joyce Huff

All of the saints starved themselves.
Not a single fat one.
The words “deity” and “diet” must have come from the same
Latin root.

Those saints must have been thin as knucklebones
or shards of stained
glass or Christ carved
on his cross.

Hard
as pew seats. Brittle
as hair shirts. Women
made from bone, like the ribs that protrude from his wasted
wooden chest. Women consumed
by fervor.

They must have been able to walk three or four abreast
down that straight and oh-so-narrow path.
They must have slipped with ease through the eye
of the needle, leaving the weighty
camels stranded at the city gate.

Within that spare city’s walls,
I do not think I would find anyone like me.

I imagine I will find my kind outside
lolling in the garden
munching on the apples.

From Gargoyle Magazine
Volume 44

Copyright Joyce Huff.
All rights reserved.
Reproduced with permission

Holiest of Days

Great service
Great food
Great day!
And I hope you had the same :)

Our Day at the Zoo

Greeted by flamingos

Luke really liked the fish and birds

Let's get a closer look

She looks great in cheetah ;)

Not too tight sister!

Howdy there fella

Luke inside an elephant footprint

Look at that baby rhino's horn! Adorable :)


These were some loud birds, but very beautiful


Jade's not really feeling this whole "petting" portion of the zoo

How you know it was a successful day at the zoo!

Part Two-I've Always Depended on the Kindness of Strangers...

Read Part One first. It makes more sense that way.

It's 5:15, we are 80 miles from home, and there's a nail in the tire.

Howard puts the donut on (which looks ridiculously like a bicycle tire. $20,000 for a car, and they can't in a $50 tire? Sheesh.) as I start asking people where a tire shop might be. Unfortunately, the parking lot was emptying pretty quickly, and none of the people around us was from Tyler either. Just our luck.

We drive up to the main street we drove in on and saw an Auto Zone. We whipped in there and asked where a tire shop is, and he gave us directions just up the road a mile or so. It's now 5:35, so we hustle up there and sure enough all the doors are closed, no lights on, no cars. Shoot.

Howard gets out anyway because he sees a guy walking around, and waits while the guy comes over and unlocks the front door. He says he already closed, and gives directions up to another place. Unfortunately, these directions aren't as clear as the Auto Zone guy. These directions are more, "Go up 4 or 5 stoplights and hang left at old Miller's barn" You know the kind? Then he says they close at 6 and it'll take up 20 minutes to get there...

I'm no mathematician, but that won't work, will it? He asked what happened, and we said, 80 miles from home, nail, blah blah blah. Howard says he'll just try to get a patch kit. The owner apologizes again, and wishes us luck and starts to go back in. I go around to get in the passenger side and go to get in.

Well, the guy kinda pokes his head back out and says, "Where'd ya'll say you were from?" We told him, and he nods and says, "Pull over there to that number 2 window, "We'll get you fixed up." Suh-weet!

As we pulled up he said "I sure didn't see those babies back there. That changes everything. I couldn't leave ya alone in despair with babies in the back. I got three kids a my own." His exact words.

They had the new tire on in 10 minutes. He said a patch wouldn't have held because of the way the nail went in, so it's a good thing we didn't try to just patch it.

20 bucks and we were outta there. As we were leaving he brought out cans of lemonade for the kiddo's in case they got thirsty on the way home. (Which they did of course).

Have I mentioned I love East Texas?

It was definitley a God moment, that he put us in that guy's way...It just gave me such a good feeling to know there are still people who will help out others, even when they're tired and been working all day.

So, if you're ever in Tyler and need a tire, Infinity Tires on Gentry is a great place to go :D

Part One-Lions, and Tigers, and Flat tires, oh my!

Today was designated Zoo Day, and we had a blast!

After considering the Dallas Zoo, we decided to go to the Caldwell Zoo instead (Tyler). It's a much prettier drive, and I really love east Texas. I'm sure glad we made that decision though; I heard the Dallas Zoo was 1,000 people over capacity, and a lady and family at Caldwell had been turned away at the gates after making all that drive! Ugh.

We had a lot of fun. Luke is so wild though! He liked the animals but he really didn't want to hold my hand...I had to give him little "run breaks." When we got to a longish stretch of sidewalk with no people, I would say "Is this a place Luke can run? I think so!" And he would grin ear to ear and take off. When he got to the end he would (usually) stop. The times he didn't...well, I'm glad Howard had such long legs LOL

At one point Jade had been running with him, and I told them to stop. She did, he didn't. I yelled, "Tackle him! I'm not joking; throw your shoe if you need to!" This Hispanic lady walking by with about 6 kids cracked up and was all nodding her head in agreement.

We spent 3 hours at the zoo. Whew! I'll post pics tomorrow. I was impressed with the different animals they had-white tigers, rhinos, a huge African preserve with elephants, giraffes, zebras. It was really impressive. I liked how many of the animals were in large open areas instead of traditional cages. It made me feel a little less horrible about all the animals snatched from their world and stuck in captivity for the rest of their unnatural lives... ;)

Anyways, after shutting down the place we got out to the car. It's almost like a comedy of errors, trying to get going...Things are lost, kids crying, sunglasses on the roof, sippy cups accidentally stuck in the trunk. So after 15 minutes (!) we finally start up the beast, back out, and we notice an odd flapping sound, accompanied by a distinct tilt towards the right.

Oy vey.

Unhappy Birthday

So we are at 5 years and counting...

Do you ever wonder what the history books are going to say about the Iraq war? I wonder if even now publishers have an ongoing saga....and every day or week they update it with the latest news.

Of course, knowing textbooks, 5 years will probably only get a paragraph or two, maybe a map, in a state adopted textbook.

Sorry Iraqi's. Sorry soldiers. Sorry families. Only so much room...

You know, like on the news? After commercials, and celebrity news, and economic woes, there really isn't much time for war tales. Besides, people like happy news, haven't you heard?

When asked about a poll showing how many Americans are against the Iraq war, Cheney responded with a very surly, "So?"

I hate the idea of a man in power who has so little regard for the public opinion.

And don't get me started on the respectabilityness of Bush. Maybe with the next prez we can run a check on their CV...Sound good?

Anywhoosville, here's a neat-o video of some good ol' first amendment rights in action.

Day 2

Vacation '08 is shaping up to be a doozy.

Last night we had the tornado warning/watch/whatever, that left us huddled and praying in the hall. Good times.

Then today it rained all day long.

Now personally I love the rain, but with 3 kiddo's it sure is hard to keep them all corralled. Also, we had to go get groceries, which is so much fun during thunderstorms.

Dallas got hit pretty bad I guess; a DART bus floated off (quit laughing Candita!) and some other people had to be rescued.

We were fine here, except for the fact that when I'm bored and cooped up I eat approximately every 8.3 minutes. It's ridiculous really.

Hopefully some sunshine tomorrow, so we can all do something...other than polish off half a weeks worth of groceries :D

TAKS Scores are in!!

What a way to start spring break!

I got a phone call from my principal today (after agreeing on Friday to wait to hear my scores until next Monday, just in case LOL).

I don't want to be too specific, b/c I'm not sure of all the "rules", but I will say MORE than 9/10 students passed!! I'm so excited!

I'm so proud of my kids!! This is such an accomplishment.

I don't really care about the test, but it is part of my job, and I know for the kids to succeed they have to pass.

Oh, and I weighed in this morning, and I lost 5 lbs!

What a day!

To Everything There is a Season

Turn, turn, turn.

Church was amazing today.

You know how life happens in seasons? Well, when you come out of a period of difficulty, everything is just so beautiful.

That's where I'm at right now, and I love it.

I love my husband, who is so supportive and loving.

I love my kids, who infuse my days with joy.

I love my parents and siblings, who know me like no other.

Most of all I love my Creator, the One who makes all else possible.

What a beautiful way to start spring break.

Ecclesiastes 3

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

A Picture's Worth A Thousand Word's

Although I think a thousand words would have taken less time to do ;)

Here’s how it works:
1. Go to Photobucket
2. Type in your answer to the question in the “search” box
3. Use a picture from the first page only
4. Insert the picture into your blog

1. What is your relationship status?

2. What is your current mood?

3. Who is your favorite band/artist?

4. What is your favorite movie?

5. What kind of pet do you have?

6. Where do you live?

7. Where do you work?

8. What do you look like?

9. What do you drive?

10. What did you do last night?

11. What is your favorite TV Show?

12. Describe yourself.

13. What are you doing tomorrow?

14. Who is your celebrity crush?

15. What's your favorite color?

16. Where is your dream vacation?

17. What do you want to be when you grow up?

18. What is your biggest fear?

19. What is your favorite food?

20. What do you love most in life?