The Little Drummer Boy. Mr. V thinks it has been overplayed this holiday season and, I have to say, we certainly heard it more than three times during our roundtrip roadtrip (Dallas-Houston-Dallas) this past weekend. There are so many different versions - ladies singing, a round for the fellas, the tour of some darling children's choir - that it's easy to find a song to suit your liking or drive you up a wall.
Regardless of how you feel about drums and pa-rum-pa-pum-puming, or even little boys, you have to give the song credit: it has a wonderful lesson for us all.
See, I have a bit of a problem. I know that not everyone does this but a lot of people do. I think it's awful, and I wish I could get rid of it. It sneaks up without warning. Curious? Here it is: I compare myself to others.
I tend to wonder if I'm doing things as well as other people. It's not so much a "I'm better than you are" thing as it is a "Am I doing this well enough? Hmmm." We could dig deep into my childhood memories to figure that one out OR we can think about the song.
So, what can the little drummer boy teach me (and possibly you)? Let's take a look at the lyrics (minus the drumming).
Come they told me,
A new born King to see,
Our finest gifts we bring,
To lay before the King,
So to honor Him
When we come.
Little Baby,
I am a poor boy too,
I have no gift to bring,
That's fit to give the King,
Shall I play for you,
On my drum?
Mary nodded,
The ox and lamb kept time,
I played my drum for Him,
I played my best for Him,
Then He smiled at me,
Me and my drum.
Ok, maybe you didn't need the whole song, but did you notice the bold words? I want to tell you about them.
No matter what talents I think I lack or how short I come of my idea of perfection, God already knows that I'm not going to measure up. All he wants from me is the best that I have to give Him. If I do my best for Him, He'll be happy. This is so hard for me, a girl who grew up in a society of "look how great I am," to come to grips with. I always think "I need to be better." And while trying to live a more godly life is nothing to scoff at, there's a delicate line that we walk between trying to be Christlike and trying to be perfect.
God wants our best. He knows we're not perfect. That's why He sent Jesus. He sent Him so that we don't have to be perfect. We do, however, have to do our best with what we've been given. Praise the Lord!
Something to think about.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Mrs. V
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
How to make your wife a happy camper (without the camping, of course)!
I don't know how many husbands read this blog. Come to think of it, I don't know how many people, male or female, read this blog. If you're a guy reading this blog, 1) thanks for stopping by! And 2) keep reading; I've got a surefire way of improving your marriage.
Every now and again, Mr. V will look me in the eye, pause for a second (to make sure I'm listening, I'm certain), and say "I love being married to you."
That's it! All he has to say is "I love being married to you" and it makes me so happy! Who wouldn't want to hear that the person who has pledged to spend the rest of their life with you say "I love being married to you."??? Who wouldn't want to hear anyone say "I love hanging out with you" or "I love being with you."???
NO ONE!!!
Mr. V is really good with the compliments. He's learned that it helps keep things pleasant if he tells me sweet things here and there. He threw out a sugary sweet one last night with my in-laws gathered about and my sister-in-law asked how many of those he's got. Sure, sometimes it sounds cheesy, but sincere or hilarious, they make me smile.
And isn't that what being married is all about? Making each other smile? I think so.
PS - Ladies, it works on your guy, too, so keep the compliments coming (or get them going). You'll be amazed at the results!
Every now and again, Mr. V will look me in the eye, pause for a second (to make sure I'm listening, I'm certain), and say "I love being married to you."
That's it! All he has to say is "I love being married to you" and it makes me so happy! Who wouldn't want to hear that the person who has pledged to spend the rest of their life with you say "I love being married to you."??? Who wouldn't want to hear anyone say "I love hanging out with you" or "I love being with you."???
NO ONE!!!
Mr. V is really good with the compliments. He's learned that it helps keep things pleasant if he tells me sweet things here and there. He threw out a sugary sweet one last night with my in-laws gathered about and my sister-in-law asked how many of those he's got. Sure, sometimes it sounds cheesy, but sincere or hilarious, they make me smile.
And isn't that what being married is all about? Making each other smile? I think so.
PS - Ladies, it works on your guy, too, so keep the compliments coming (or get them going). You'll be amazed at the results!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
What is it with men?
Okay, I'm coming upon my sixth complete month as Mrs. V, and I have to say - I STILL don't know what's up with men. Not that I really thought the two rings on my left ring finger would unlock the door to understanding men. I knew better than that. They're just so. . . mysterious. And not in a James Bond sort of way. They're more like Carrot Top mysterious.
Since my mother taught school and my dad ran a consulting firm out of our house, I was hanging out with the guys as my nearest playmate growing up was my brother. I'm trying to say that, in spite of having an opportunity to study the opposite sex up close and personal for most of my life, and in spite of having lived with one particular man in the sacrament of marriage for nearly six months, men are still an enigma.
Why, for example, do they love all-you-can-eat buffets? What is keeping them from going to the doctor when they're clearly ill? Why do they love sports, regardless of what it is or in what form (live, televised, dvd, based-on-true-events movies, video games)? Why can't they endure a touchy-feely conversation for more than maybe 10 minutes at a time?
I know, I know. Some of you are saying that your man hates sports. Or abhors the all-you-can-eat-buffet. Or maybe you know a guy who doesn't mind listening to you prattle on about what she said to him about such-and-such for hours at a time. Goodness knows, there ARE guys out there like that.
But since I've joined the married club, I've noticed that the things about Mr. V that cause me to tilt my head to the side and say "huh?" are the same things that my married and dating friends wonder about. And some of my friends want to change their men. I don't. Not really. I have a friend at work who says "well, you married him!" if I ever express my wonder or curiosity about things my guy does. I know who I married and I accepted him for who he is before I walked down that aisle. I just don't get a few things. That's all.
If anyone out there can explain any of these things to me or would like to form some sort of support group for Women Married to Mysteries, please let me know. Maybe we can work out a secret codes for "Save me! My husband is dragging me to a monster truck rally!" and "I can't take any more Cici's Pizza! I need some real food!!!!"
I'm just sayin'.
Since my mother taught school and my dad ran a consulting firm out of our house, I was hanging out with the guys as my nearest playmate growing up was my brother. I'm trying to say that, in spite of having an opportunity to study the opposite sex up close and personal for most of my life, and in spite of having lived with one particular man in the sacrament of marriage for nearly six months, men are still an enigma.
Why, for example, do they love all-you-can-eat buffets? What is keeping them from going to the doctor when they're clearly ill? Why do they love sports, regardless of what it is or in what form (live, televised, dvd, based-on-true-events movies, video games)? Why can't they endure a touchy-feely conversation for more than maybe 10 minutes at a time?
I know, I know. Some of you are saying that your man hates sports. Or abhors the all-you-can-eat-buffet. Or maybe you know a guy who doesn't mind listening to you prattle on about what she said to him about such-and-such for hours at a time. Goodness knows, there ARE guys out there like that.
But since I've joined the married club, I've noticed that the things about Mr. V that cause me to tilt my head to the side and say "huh?" are the same things that my married and dating friends wonder about. And some of my friends want to change their men. I don't. Not really. I have a friend at work who says "well, you married him!" if I ever express my wonder or curiosity about things my guy does. I know who I married and I accepted him for who he is before I walked down that aisle. I just don't get a few things. That's all.
If anyone out there can explain any of these things to me or would like to form some sort of support group for Women Married to Mysteries, please let me know. Maybe we can work out a secret codes for "Save me! My husband is dragging me to a monster truck rally!" and "I can't take any more Cici's Pizza! I need some real food!!!!"
I'm just sayin'.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Working Toward a Debt-Free Life and Loving it!
Even before we got married, Mr. V and I sat down to take a hard look at our debt. You know, that ever-increasing pile of money you already spent but didn't actually have? Yes, that debt. I went to public college and he went to a private school. I drove a pre-owned car. He was sportin' a nice little "luxury sports vehicle" (his words) that he bought new. We were both still making payments on all of these things. It should be said that as of this post, we are both still driving those vehicles, and only one is paid off.
Neither of us came from money and we're certainly not rolling it in now, but we noticed a disturbing trend in our finances once we put them down on paper.
Beyond the aformentioned "necessities" (education and transportation) that we had accumulated, was a list of credit card transactions as long as my arm. I was maxed out on my AMEX, Mr. V was near the limit on his after the engagment ring, and we were getting ready to pay for a good chunk of our wedding which, for us, meant dun dun dun another credit card.
Add to that the cost of replacing a few items lost when we were burgled in late March and a mattress-built-for-two, and you can see that we were just amassing debt left and right. And to make matters worse, WE KNEW WE WERE DOING BAD THINGS!!! Our montly budget told us to stop, but we couldn't.
Until August, when luck turned around for us a bit. All of a sudden, we weren't spending money on a wedding that was coming up (we were newlyweds!) and we'd already made the purchases that kept us from sleeping on the floor or eating out of the dumpster. We were working at a school participating in a grant program (extra incentive money for a job well done) AND we'd taught summer school. What would we do with our newfound riches?
I'll tell you. We went after our debt like a lion does its prey. We sought out ways to take it down, and take it down fast. We set up a realistic budget, allowing for date night and personal spending so we wouldn't feel stiffled (and we couldn't tell each other what to do with our personal funds). All of our other money was already designated to a specific cause - food, gas, bills, rent, savings, missions, tithing, etc. And anything over that was promised to the debt. We blended advice from my accountant father (pay off your highest interest debt first), and that of Dave Ramsey (attack it smallest to largest, pay the minimum on all others, and snowball your monthly payments) and came up with a plan that has really paid off for us.
To date, Mr. V and I have paid off approximately $22,000 of our debt since August, and we're very proud of that. It has taken hard work and some sacrifice, but it feels so good to own my car free and clear, to not be strangled by our credit cards, and to know that we're on our way to bigger and better things, and a more secure financial future.
We encourage everyone to look into financial classes that your church offers, OR you can do what we did and take the cheap way out: we checked out Dave Ramsey's book from the public library.
By the way, we check a lot of other things out from the library, too, including movies and television boxed sets. It allows us to cheaply decide how we're spending our time. Yes, we're behind on what's going on with Jim and Pam of The Office, but that's ok. We're pretty excited to be where we are.
Neither of us came from money and we're certainly not rolling it in now, but we noticed a disturbing trend in our finances once we put them down on paper.
Beyond the aformentioned "necessities" (education and transportation) that we had accumulated, was a list of credit card transactions as long as my arm. I was maxed out on my AMEX, Mr. V was near the limit on his after the engagment ring, and we were getting ready to pay for a good chunk of our wedding which, for us, meant dun dun dun another credit card.
Add to that the cost of replacing a few items lost when we were burgled in late March and a mattress-built-for-two, and you can see that we were just amassing debt left and right. And to make matters worse, WE KNEW WE WERE DOING BAD THINGS!!! Our montly budget told us to stop, but we couldn't.
Until August, when luck turned around for us a bit. All of a sudden, we weren't spending money on a wedding that was coming up (we were newlyweds!) and we'd already made the purchases that kept us from sleeping on the floor or eating out of the dumpster. We were working at a school participating in a grant program (extra incentive money for a job well done) AND we'd taught summer school. What would we do with our newfound riches?
I'll tell you. We went after our debt like a lion does its prey. We sought out ways to take it down, and take it down fast. We set up a realistic budget, allowing for date night and personal spending so we wouldn't feel stiffled (and we couldn't tell each other what to do with our personal funds). All of our other money was already designated to a specific cause - food, gas, bills, rent, savings, missions, tithing, etc. And anything over that was promised to the debt. We blended advice from my accountant father (pay off your highest interest debt first), and that of Dave Ramsey (attack it smallest to largest, pay the minimum on all others, and snowball your monthly payments) and came up with a plan that has really paid off for us.
To date, Mr. V and I have paid off approximately $22,000 of our debt since August, and we're very proud of that. It has taken hard work and some sacrifice, but it feels so good to own my car free and clear, to not be strangled by our credit cards, and to know that we're on our way to bigger and better things, and a more secure financial future.
We encourage everyone to look into financial classes that your church offers, OR you can do what we did and take the cheap way out: we checked out Dave Ramsey's book from the public library.
By the way, we check a lot of other things out from the library, too, including movies and television boxed sets. It allows us to cheaply decide how we're spending our time. Yes, we're behind on what's going on with Jim and Pam of The Office, but that's ok. We're pretty excited to be where we are.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Swimming
Tonight, I experienced my first high school swim meet.
Don't be fooled. I'm not some closet swimming enthusist. I don't even watch it in the Olympics. And, to tell the truth, I had to be dragged from the warmth of my down blanket and the comfort of my home to watch children pound the water or shiver as they waited on the sides.
But I actually had a good time, when all is said and done. Those kids have a ton of heart and they are so positive. I have worked with enough organizations to know that, more often than not, if their team isn't on top, they don't care.
Not the case with these kids. Don't get me wrong, these kids were so far from bad. They just aren't at the top of their game yet, and that's okay. They're all working so hard to get better and having a blast doing it and that makes me so proud of them. I don't even know most of them, but Mr. V and I were talking to the coach and you can tell that the kids really try.
I know of lot of teams where that just wouldn't happen. I know a lot of teams who are at the top and just don't care enough to make themselves any better. These guys are AWESOME, and watching them brought a smile to my face.
In other news, the wheat tortillas at Freebirds are incredibly good. Gave them a whirl tonight for my quesadilla and I'm not disappointed. Just thought I'd pass that along!
Don't be fooled. I'm not some closet swimming enthusist. I don't even watch it in the Olympics. And, to tell the truth, I had to be dragged from the warmth of my down blanket and the comfort of my home to watch children pound the water or shiver as they waited on the sides.
But I actually had a good time, when all is said and done. Those kids have a ton of heart and they are so positive. I have worked with enough organizations to know that, more often than not, if their team isn't on top, they don't care.
Not the case with these kids. Don't get me wrong, these kids were so far from bad. They just aren't at the top of their game yet, and that's okay. They're all working so hard to get better and having a blast doing it and that makes me so proud of them. I don't even know most of them, but Mr. V and I were talking to the coach and you can tell that the kids really try.
I know of lot of teams where that just wouldn't happen. I know a lot of teams who are at the top and just don't care enough to make themselves any better. These guys are AWESOME, and watching them brought a smile to my face.
In other news, the wheat tortillas at Freebirds are incredibly good. Gave them a whirl tonight for my quesadilla and I'm not disappointed. Just thought I'd pass that along!
Monday, November 30, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 30 - The Season Finale
We're going to wait a while to see if we have another season of "I'm Thankful" here at My Life As Mrs. V, but for now, this is goodbye.
Today, I am thankful for the wonderful people on my hall who will loan me their key or come on down to unlock my door when I forget my own keys, who bake goodies to help us get through the day, who have the best interest of their students at heart, and who appreciate a good grammar joke.
I have some of the best coworkers a gal could ask for. Having come from a school that sent a pack of brand new teachers to the portables to struggle it out away from the experienced teachers who might help us, I can really and truly appreciate the camaraderie that we experience at my school. There are so many friendly faces and there are a lot of people who will go to great lengths to help each other out.
It almost makes the early AM start time worth it. Almost ;)
Well, that's all for now. I'm honestly not sure what's going to happen to me and the ol' blog now that my 30 days are up, but I have a feeling that there is a lot of life as a wife left to explore (Christmas is coming, after all) and I intend to share it with you, if you'll let me!
I hope you've enjoyed this series and that it has, in some way, blessed your day.
Today, I am thankful for the wonderful people on my hall who will loan me their key or come on down to unlock my door when I forget my own keys, who bake goodies to help us get through the day, who have the best interest of their students at heart, and who appreciate a good grammar joke.
I have some of the best coworkers a gal could ask for. Having come from a school that sent a pack of brand new teachers to the portables to struggle it out away from the experienced teachers who might help us, I can really and truly appreciate the camaraderie that we experience at my school. There are so many friendly faces and there are a lot of people who will go to great lengths to help each other out.
It almost makes the early AM start time worth it. Almost ;)
Well, that's all for now. I'm honestly not sure what's going to happen to me and the ol' blog now that my 30 days are up, but I have a feeling that there is a lot of life as a wife left to explore (Christmas is coming, after all) and I intend to share it with you, if you'll let me!
I hope you've enjoyed this series and that it has, in some way, blessed your day.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 29
Today, I am thankful for my girlfriends!
To wind down the Thanksgiving holiday, I have spent the last two evenings hanging out with the girls. Granted, last night, hanging out with one of my gal pals also meant hanging out with her boyfriend and Mr. V at a hockey game, but it was still a lot of fun.
Tonight, I was over at Mrs. K's place, chilling with my old small group girls. It was so fun to share our stories over dinner and catch up. It's been a while since we've all been together.
I had been in a bit of a funk this afternoon before, but it can be really restorative hanging out with people with whom you share a history of sorts. Mr. V said I came back in a good mood, and I'd have to say he's right!
I'm so thankful for my friends.
To wind down the Thanksgiving holiday, I have spent the last two evenings hanging out with the girls. Granted, last night, hanging out with one of my gal pals also meant hanging out with her boyfriend and Mr. V at a hockey game, but it was still a lot of fun.
Tonight, I was over at Mrs. K's place, chilling with my old small group girls. It was so fun to share our stories over dinner and catch up. It's been a while since we've all been together.
I had been in a bit of a funk this afternoon before, but it can be really restorative hanging out with people with whom you share a history of sorts. Mr. V said I came back in a good mood, and I'd have to say he's right!
I'm so thankful for my friends.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 28
After a procedure Tuesday afternoon, baking all day Wednesday, seeing two families for Thanksgiving AND Mr. V's high school friends Thursday, running around in Keller and Colleyville with Mr. V's fam and friends AGAIN on Friday, I'm thankful that today, we got to sleep in, relax, and enjoy being off of work for the holiday. Actually, it's just like every other Saturday.
Though we are busy tonight with friends, I'm so thankful for the downtime this afternoon. With all of the stress of this school year, I really needed it!
Hopefully you all got some good rest, too!
Though we are busy tonight with friends, I'm so thankful for the downtime this afternoon. With all of the stress of this school year, I really needed it!
Hopefully you all got some good rest, too!
Friday, November 27, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 27
Today, I am thankful for a close parking spot everywhere we went, the smallest possible crowds (you have to have a certain number to constitute a 'crowd' to begin with), short lines (if any), and being one gift away from being FINISHED with my Christmas shopping obligations.
It was possibly my best "Black Friday" shopping experience EVER and my first with Mr. V. Chances are that this one was so easy, I may be able to get him to go with me again. At least one more time!
I hope everyone else is having a similarly fantastic post-Thanksgiving shopping experience. That is, of course, if you dared to leave the house!
It was possibly my best "Black Friday" shopping experience EVER and my first with Mr. V. Chances are that this one was so easy, I may be able to get him to go with me again. At least one more time!
I hope everyone else is having a similarly fantastic post-Thanksgiving shopping experience. That is, of course, if you dared to leave the house!
I'm Thankful - Day 26 - Thanksgiving Edition!
Ah, the day that inspired the current series in my blog!
Today, I am thankful for friends and family and time spent together. It was truly a wonderful day that turned into a night that turned into a tournament of cosuples, which ended in a long and very late drive home.
Now, some of you might say that I'm late on this post. If you are in this category, I would like to offer you a little snippet of a story:
Once upon a time, in a magical dorm room within Dobie in Austin, Texas, my friend, Rayce, and I decided that midnight was too early to be the end of the day. Surely the time didn't switch over until, say, 2:15am. That seemed like a MUCH more logical time to end the day. And therefore, I am calling this "rule" into effect and I am therefore still on Thanksgiving Day time.
One of the pre-reading strategies we give the kids in class goes as follows: give a bunch of words that have to do with the selection and see if the kids can guess what the selection will be about.
I'm not writing a selection tonight as it is already too late and I'm more than a wee bit drowsy, but I will give you some words to ponder. Maybe you can figure out what my Thanksgiving was about!
Today, I am thankful for friends and family and time spent together. It was truly a wonderful day that turned into a night that turned into a tournament of cosuples, which ended in a long and very late drive home.
Now, some of you might say that I'm late on this post. If you are in this category, I would like to offer you a little snippet of a story:
Once upon a time, in a magical dorm room within Dobie in Austin, Texas, my friend, Rayce, and I decided that midnight was too early to be the end of the day. Surely the time didn't switch over until, say, 2:15am. That seemed like a MUCH more logical time to end the day. And therefore, I am calling this "rule" into effect and I am therefore still on Thanksgiving Day time.
One of the pre-reading strategies we give the kids in class goes as follows: give a bunch of words that have to do with the selection and see if the kids can guess what the selection will be about.
I'm not writing a selection tonight as it is already too late and I'm more than a wee bit drowsy, but I will give you some words to ponder. Maybe you can figure out what my Thanksgiving was about!
turkey nephew father pecan pie blueberry muffins husband Cranium far-away friends sister-in-law cinnamon crumb apple pie brothers-in-law ham BIG little brother Starbucks win
Hook 'em nap sweet potato casserole Kroger Richardson Keller first CAKE late night scheming-ladies laughter pictures dishes driving leftovers hugs eat
Happy Thanksgiving from the V’s!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 25
I know this will sound extremely strange coming from me, a self-proclaimed night owl who shuns the morning rays as a vampire might, with covers pulled tight over my head, but today I am thankful that I woke up when my alarm went off at 9:30am on a day when I didn't have to be at school.
That last part is so particularly important because normally, when I don't have to be at school, I will sleep until . . . well, I'm embarassed to say how late. But given the fact that I was usually out late due to football games on Friday nights and church falls on a Sunday, I'll let your imaginations run wild as to what time I typically rose from my slumber most Saturdays. I like to sleep. I seem to get so little of it on a regular basis that I relish the opportunity to sleep in late, wake at my leisure, and walk about in my pj's until I have to go somewhere where a cami and pajama pants aren't in the dress code.
However, today, I woke when my alarm went off. Mr. V attributes this to the incredible amounts of sleep I got after my procedure and he could be right. Or, I could be getting into some sort of sleep pattern! I don't know about that, but I do know that because I got up at 9:30, I was able to relax for a short time before scrambling about my morning activities preparing for the arrival of my little brother-in-law.
It is nice to know that I got as much done today as I did because I was able to get out of bed when my alarm went off (well, truly, when Mr. V let me out of a bear hug).
Strange, but true.
Oh, and shout out to Mr. V for being my awesome clean-up man tonight while I was baking blueberry muffins and cupcakes galore, making pies and queso and messes and more! He was really a big help, my pinch hitter, my true Kitchen Aide. Mr. V, I love you!
That last part is so particularly important because normally, when I don't have to be at school, I will sleep until . . . well, I'm embarassed to say how late. But given the fact that I was usually out late due to football games on Friday nights and church falls on a Sunday, I'll let your imaginations run wild as to what time I typically rose from my slumber most Saturdays. I like to sleep. I seem to get so little of it on a regular basis that I relish the opportunity to sleep in late, wake at my leisure, and walk about in my pj's until I have to go somewhere where a cami and pajama pants aren't in the dress code.
However, today, I woke when my alarm went off. Mr. V attributes this to the incredible amounts of sleep I got after my procedure and he could be right. Or, I could be getting into some sort of sleep pattern! I don't know about that, but I do know that because I got up at 9:30, I was able to relax for a short time before scrambling about my morning activities preparing for the arrival of my little brother-in-law.
It is nice to know that I got as much done today as I did because I was able to get out of bed when my alarm went off (well, truly, when Mr. V let me out of a bear hug).
Strange, but true.
Oh, and shout out to Mr. V for being my awesome clean-up man tonight while I was baking blueberry muffins and cupcakes galore, making pies and queso and messes and more! He was really a big help, my pinch hitter, my true Kitchen Aide. Mr. V, I love you!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 24
Today, I am thankful for the fact that everything looks normal in my insides - and I have pictures from my procedure, so that's pretty cool!
After fasting for what seemed like forever (have sooo much respect for those who are able to fast for long periods of time - it makes me nauseated like crazy right now), I was at the Park Ventura Endoscopy Center in Plano for my procedure. Miss S was the lovely friend who picked me up from school and took me over there and sat in the waiting room with me so I wasn't actually the youngest person in the room by a decade and a half. Instead, I was the second youngest person there!
When they called me back, they had me undress and put my many things in a bag which they placed under my stretcher. Then I put on a robe and wrapped myself up in a warmed-up blanket (sooo nice!) and another, not-warmed-up blanket and waited for the nurses.
I had heart monitors put on while the anesthesiologist stuck my in my hand (no luck) and then stuck me in my arm to get the IV going. I was "extremely dry," per the instructions to not eat or drink anything after midnight, so they pumped me with a liter of fluid to get me going again (I guess).
These things are kind of crazy. The first nurse asked me a bunch of questions in the pre-procedure room. Right after she leaves, the anesthesiologist asked me THE SAME QUESTIONS over again. I got another half round of questions from one of the other nurses. I feel like maybe they don't communicate with each other.
They wheeled me down to the procedure room and wouldn't you know, but Smash Mouth was playing on the radio and Jenny, my procedure nurse, started singing along with it as she bopped her head around the room, setting me up for everything.
An oxygen tube was shoved into my nostrils and a strange smell filled my nasal passages as they looped the tube around my head and pulled it tight.
Next, a device, which looked a bit like a pacifier, was put into my mouth. It had a hollow but deep ring which I was to bite. It's purpose was to "protect my teeth," but I really think that it just protected the doc from me biting him as he peered inside my body.
The last thing I remember before going in was someone (can't remember who) saying "have a nice nap!" and then I was out.
When I woke up, I actually hadn't forgotten anything but the fact that the procedure had been done. I didn't feel any different. I remembered the Stars game that Miss S had invited us to. I remembered that I had boxes to be picked up. And, most importantly, I remembered to mess with Mr. V - just a little.
They had told me, when I schedule the procedure, that I'd have mild amnesia afterward and Mr. V had expressed a hope that I wouldn't forget him. Well, when he came in, he had a sheet of computer paper with "I'm Mr. V. I am your husband. I love you!" printed on it. I couldn't resist (even in my semi-conscious state) saying "I'm married?" before nodding my head to the side. His response? "You'd better be kidding."
He didn't seem too amused, but I had promised my 9th grade students I would try to mess with him so B3, this one's for you.
Now, they did remove something and my internet has been so slow today that I haven't obsessively googled what that might mean yet, but I have to go in and see the doc again in a week to figure out the results of the biopsy. Let's hope that everything is okay and I just had a $700 test to tell me I'm stressed out and need to do less in life.
Otherwise, all is well and I can now indulge in the two Turkeygram cupcakes that were delivered to my room this morning. Woo hoo!
After fasting for what seemed like forever (have sooo much respect for those who are able to fast for long periods of time - it makes me nauseated like crazy right now), I was at the Park Ventura Endoscopy Center in Plano for my procedure. Miss S was the lovely friend who picked me up from school and took me over there and sat in the waiting room with me so I wasn't actually the youngest person in the room by a decade and a half. Instead, I was the second youngest person there!
When they called me back, they had me undress and put my many things in a bag which they placed under my stretcher. Then I put on a robe and wrapped myself up in a warmed-up blanket (sooo nice!) and another, not-warmed-up blanket and waited for the nurses.
I had heart monitors put on while the anesthesiologist stuck my in my hand (no luck) and then stuck me in my arm to get the IV going. I was "extremely dry," per the instructions to not eat or drink anything after midnight, so they pumped me with a liter of fluid to get me going again (I guess).
These things are kind of crazy. The first nurse asked me a bunch of questions in the pre-procedure room. Right after she leaves, the anesthesiologist asked me THE SAME QUESTIONS over again. I got another half round of questions from one of the other nurses. I feel like maybe they don't communicate with each other.
They wheeled me down to the procedure room and wouldn't you know, but Smash Mouth was playing on the radio and Jenny, my procedure nurse, started singing along with it as she bopped her head around the room, setting me up for everything.
An oxygen tube was shoved into my nostrils and a strange smell filled my nasal passages as they looped the tube around my head and pulled it tight.
Next, a device, which looked a bit like a pacifier, was put into my mouth. It had a hollow but deep ring which I was to bite. It's purpose was to "protect my teeth," but I really think that it just protected the doc from me biting him as he peered inside my body.
The last thing I remember before going in was someone (can't remember who) saying "have a nice nap!" and then I was out.
When I woke up, I actually hadn't forgotten anything but the fact that the procedure had been done. I didn't feel any different. I remembered the Stars game that Miss S had invited us to. I remembered that I had boxes to be picked up. And, most importantly, I remembered to mess with Mr. V - just a little.
They had told me, when I schedule the procedure, that I'd have mild amnesia afterward and Mr. V had expressed a hope that I wouldn't forget him. Well, when he came in, he had a sheet of computer paper with "I'm Mr. V. I am your husband. I love you!" printed on it. I couldn't resist (even in my semi-conscious state) saying "I'm married?" before nodding my head to the side. His response? "You'd better be kidding."
He didn't seem too amused, but I had promised my 9th grade students I would try to mess with him so B3, this one's for you.
Now, they did remove something and my internet has been so slow today that I haven't obsessively googled what that might mean yet, but I have to go in and see the doc again in a week to figure out the results of the biopsy. Let's hope that everything is okay and I just had a $700 test to tell me I'm stressed out and need to do less in life.
Otherwise, all is well and I can now indulge in the two Turkeygram cupcakes that were delivered to my room this morning. Woo hoo!
Monday, November 23, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 23
I'm a dork. A HUGE nerd. I'm aware of this. My coworkers are probably becomming aware of this.
Today, I am thankful for a little thing we like to call "Report Card Pick-Up Night." Really, I'm thankful that the kids I teach have parents who care about how they're doing in class. I had a record 14 kids represented by parents and grandparents who want to see their children succeed. It was AWESOME!
I know I haven't been teaching long, but word on the street has it that most of the time, the AP and Honors parents are the heavyweight champs on nights like these, bringing in so many parents that they hardly have time to sit and catch their breath in between people. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it doesn't really feel like it. I was sitting with a whopping 5 parental sets when my department chair, who teaches AP, coincidentally, told me she had 10. A little wounded, I jokingly told her that AP doesn't count. She, very good naturedly, stuck her tongue out at me. It's all in good fun. And for the sake of fun, I have a competition with a band teacher at all of these nights - there are two report card pick up nights and one meet-the-teacher.
Now, some may say I cheated because I told my kids that if they brought their parents, I woud reward them with cupcakes, but the point isn't really winning the game. It's about helping the kids.
So, I'm thankful that I had so many parents and grandparents come out to see how their kids/grandkids are doing. And, to be honest, I'm thankful that I beat Mr. P, the band teacher, just because it's fun.
By the way, only one kid came for the sole purpose of receiving her cupcake. So. . . woo hoo!
Today, I am thankful for a little thing we like to call "Report Card Pick-Up Night." Really, I'm thankful that the kids I teach have parents who care about how they're doing in class. I had a record 14 kids represented by parents and grandparents who want to see their children succeed. It was AWESOME!
I know I haven't been teaching long, but word on the street has it that most of the time, the AP and Honors parents are the heavyweight champs on nights like these, bringing in so many parents that they hardly have time to sit and catch their breath in between people. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it doesn't really feel like it. I was sitting with a whopping 5 parental sets when my department chair, who teaches AP, coincidentally, told me she had 10. A little wounded, I jokingly told her that AP doesn't count. She, very good naturedly, stuck her tongue out at me. It's all in good fun. And for the sake of fun, I have a competition with a band teacher at all of these nights - there are two report card pick up nights and one meet-the-teacher.
Now, some may say I cheated because I told my kids that if they brought their parents, I woud reward them with cupcakes, but the point isn't really winning the game. It's about helping the kids.
So, I'm thankful that I had so many parents and grandparents come out to see how their kids/grandkids are doing. And, to be honest, I'm thankful that I beat Mr. P, the band teacher, just because it's fun.
By the way, only one kid came for the sole purpose of receiving her cupcake. So. . . woo hoo!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 22
I'm thankful for a husband who loves anything and everything I cook and is completely impressed with it.
Today, I started a cupcake project. I say "project" because I made special cupcakes that taste like Samoas. It's definitely quite involved. Whilst I was doing that, though, I also started some skillet queso and made quesadillas for dinner.
It was quite an afternoon/evening, one that didn't allow me to get my house cleaning taken care of. But I'll get to that later. . . I hope.
Mr. V was astounded that I could do all of that at once. It wasn't that hard, but I'm definitely thankful for his appreciation and admiration!
Today, I started a cupcake project. I say "project" because I made special cupcakes that taste like Samoas. It's definitely quite involved. Whilst I was doing that, though, I also started some skillet queso and made quesadillas for dinner.
It was quite an afternoon/evening, one that didn't allow me to get my house cleaning taken care of. But I'll get to that later. . . I hope.
Mr. V was astounded that I could do all of that at once. It wasn't that hard, but I'm definitely thankful for his appreciation and admiration!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 21
Today, I'm thankful for thoughtful in-laws!
We celebrated my birthday with Mr. V's family today and it was great!
They baked cookies, had my favorite pizza, a giant birthday cookie, and ice cream sundae stuff! I truly have a stomachache now from eating everything (well, almost everything. We found it necessary to skip the sundaes) but it was wonderful!
We played some Phase 10, tickled the nephew, saw some college football, talked with the sis-in-law, and opened the big present. . . a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer!!! I'm so beyond excited - it's just in time for my Thanksgiving/Christmas baking, and I have a ton scheduled for this holiday season so I'm super pumped! This will make my pumpkin bread so much easier AND my deep dish pizza dough will practically make itself now.
All-in-all, it was a very lovely evening and I'm so thankful that they were so thoughtful as to want to celebrate my birthday.
We celebrated my birthday with Mr. V's family today and it was great!
They baked cookies, had my favorite pizza, a giant birthday cookie, and ice cream sundae stuff! I truly have a stomachache now from eating everything (well, almost everything. We found it necessary to skip the sundaes) but it was wonderful!
We played some Phase 10, tickled the nephew, saw some college football, talked with the sis-in-law, and opened the big present. . . a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer!!! I'm so beyond excited - it's just in time for my Thanksgiving/Christmas baking, and I have a ton scheduled for this holiday season so I'm super pumped! This will make my pumpkin bread so much easier AND my deep dish pizza dough will practically make itself now.
All-in-all, it was a very lovely evening and I'm so thankful that they were so thoughtful as to want to celebrate my birthday.
Friday, November 20, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 20
Today, I am thankful for a Friday night with friends and relaxing in lieu of a football game in the cold.
Tonight was the first night that I didn't have to rush out the door right after school, get something to eat, and rush back up to the school to open the cage, have the cheerleaders grab their signs, make sure Mr. V's student group got their flags and flag poles out, lock up the cage, load a bus, do a head count, get to the stadium, supervise banners and signs going up, get the girls to warm up, go through an entire game hoping to not be impaled by a flag pole (it nearly happened on several occassions), get the girls to tear down signs, load the bus, do a head count, get back to the school, unload the bus, go around the long way to get into the school, unlock the cage, let all the kids in, let the kids put their stuff away, have a post-game meeting, make sure everyone gets picked up, and lock up the school.
And man, it feels goooooood! I forgot what this feels like. It's truly a wonderful sensation, knowing that I don't have any responsibility this evening other than taking care of myself and Mr. V.
Definitely something to be thankful for!
Tonight was the first night that I didn't have to rush out the door right after school, get something to eat, and rush back up to the school to open the cage, have the cheerleaders grab their signs, make sure Mr. V's student group got their flags and flag poles out, lock up the cage, load a bus, do a head count, get to the stadium, supervise banners and signs going up, get the girls to warm up, go through an entire game hoping to not be impaled by a flag pole (it nearly happened on several occassions), get the girls to tear down signs, load the bus, do a head count, get back to the school, unload the bus, go around the long way to get into the school, unlock the cage, let all the kids in, let the kids put their stuff away, have a post-game meeting, make sure everyone gets picked up, and lock up the school.
And man, it feels goooooood! I forgot what this feels like. It's truly a wonderful sensation, knowing that I don't have any responsibility this evening other than taking care of myself and Mr. V.
Definitely something to be thankful for!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 19
Today, I am thankful for free birthday offers!
I know my birthday was last week but these offers are good through Sunday so I'm trying to use them up. In honor of my friend at Thankfully Thrifty, I am going to tell you how you, too, can receive special birthday offers!
The one I used tonight was from Texas Land and Cattle's birthday club and was good for a free entree up to $15. What I usually get is more than $15, so they generously applied the coupon to my meal and I got a $20 steak for only $5!
Red Robin has a birthday club, too. Well, it's a "general promotions" e-club but I have received my email coupon for a free burger so it's worth it to me! Beware, though, that you can only view your email promotion twice (weird, but this is what they claim) so you're supposed to have your printer ready.
My third and last birthday dinner offer this year was from Genghis Grill. I can't wait to go get my bowl and introduce Mr. V to the wonder that is mongolian BBQ.
Now, this final offer is for the ladies. Girls, if you know of Sephora, perhaps you can anticipate what is coming next. If not, I'll just tell you. When you join Sephora's Beauty Insider Program, you will get a certificate for a trio of lovely lip glosses, redeemable with no purchase necessary! I'm going to get mine this weekend.
I'm sure there are MANY more out there, but these are the ones I'm a part of at the current moment. And I'm so thankful that I've joined! I do love freebies.
Deep down, you know you do, too!
I know my birthday was last week but these offers are good through Sunday so I'm trying to use them up. In honor of my friend at Thankfully Thrifty, I am going to tell you how you, too, can receive special birthday offers!
The one I used tonight was from Texas Land and Cattle's birthday club and was good for a free entree up to $15. What I usually get is more than $15, so they generously applied the coupon to my meal and I got a $20 steak for only $5!
Red Robin has a birthday club, too. Well, it's a "general promotions" e-club but I have received my email coupon for a free burger so it's worth it to me! Beware, though, that you can only view your email promotion twice (weird, but this is what they claim) so you're supposed to have your printer ready.
My third and last birthday dinner offer this year was from Genghis Grill. I can't wait to go get my bowl and introduce Mr. V to the wonder that is mongolian BBQ.
Now, this final offer is for the ladies. Girls, if you know of Sephora, perhaps you can anticipate what is coming next. If not, I'll just tell you. When you join Sephora's Beauty Insider Program, you will get a certificate for a trio of lovely lip glosses, redeemable with no purchase necessary! I'm going to get mine this weekend.
I'm sure there are MANY more out there, but these are the ones I'm a part of at the current moment. And I'm so thankful that I've joined! I do love freebies.
Deep down, you know you do, too!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 18
Today, I'm thankful for a sister-in-law who thinks of me when fun things are at large!
This evening, the other Mrs. V contacted me in an effort to get me out to see a Mavs game with her. Mavs vs. Spurs! How could I pass that up?
Well, this is how: I had a tremendous amount of work to get done (still do. . . silly program won't open up like I need it to) and, though I was desperately trying to take care of everything within the hour I gave myself, I just couldn't do it.
Terribly disappointed, I let her know and I'm still bummed that I had to turn her down. But she told me that (after her own Mr. V) I was the first person she thought of taking. How sweet is that? Yep, I'm a pretty lucky girl to have such a thoughtful sister-in-law.
And I'm completely thankful for that!
This evening, the other Mrs. V contacted me in an effort to get me out to see a Mavs game with her. Mavs vs. Spurs! How could I pass that up?
Well, this is how: I had a tremendous amount of work to get done (still do. . . silly program won't open up like I need it to) and, though I was desperately trying to take care of everything within the hour I gave myself, I just couldn't do it.
Terribly disappointed, I let her know and I'm still bummed that I had to turn her down. But she told me that (after her own Mr. V) I was the first person she thought of taking. How sweet is that? Yep, I'm a pretty lucky girl to have such a thoughtful sister-in-law.
And I'm completely thankful for that!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 17
Ladies and gentlmen (because Mr. V reads this blog, I'm going to assume there may be at least one other dude out there whose eyes skim the page), today I am thankful for. . .
NAPS!!!
Having just had a birthday, I am well aware of the fact that I am no longer 4 years old, nor am I a college student. However, I was unable to sleep last night and was so gosh darn cranky when I got home that I knew a nap was in order.
Mrs. V has never done well without sleep. Or eating, for that matter. But I fixed that with Tyson's chicken nuggets and leftover pie from the one I made yesterday.
Back to the nap. My wonderful husband was at ultimate frisbee practice (you read that right) so I turned on the heater, put on my pjs, and snuggled up with my comforter and down blanket. I accidentially slept for 3 hours. Not the best idea since I was an insomniac the night before and I realize that I might be cursing this nap for which I am currently thankful (funny how that works sometimes, right?) but as of right now, in this moment, I am so thankful that I had the time to take this wonderful nap. And that naps exist in general, really. I'm too much of an "owl" (for those of you who got the 'lark vs owl' email today at work) for these early mornings. I have a feeling that the nap and I will be good friends for a long time to come!
NAPS!!!
Having just had a birthday, I am well aware of the fact that I am no longer 4 years old, nor am I a college student. However, I was unable to sleep last night and was so gosh darn cranky when I got home that I knew a nap was in order.
Mrs. V has never done well without sleep. Or eating, for that matter. But I fixed that with Tyson's chicken nuggets and leftover pie from the one I made yesterday.
Back to the nap. My wonderful husband was at ultimate frisbee practice (you read that right) so I turned on the heater, put on my pjs, and snuggled up with my comforter and down blanket. I accidentially slept for 3 hours. Not the best idea since I was an insomniac the night before and I realize that I might be cursing this nap for which I am currently thankful (funny how that works sometimes, right?) but as of right now, in this moment, I am so thankful that I had the time to take this wonderful nap. And that naps exist in general, really. I'm too much of an "owl" (for those of you who got the 'lark vs owl' email today at work) for these early mornings. I have a feeling that the nap and I will be good friends for a long time to come!
Monday, November 16, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 16
I'm so very thankful for my measuring cups that allow me to see the level as I look into the cup. So, so, so awesome!
I have been laboring over apple pie. I love apple pie and have been craving it for over a week. I bought apples and everything. Last night, I decided that tonight would be the night. After all, it will be more than a week before I have to make it again for my in-laws (I'm making maple-pecan for my dad and brother) so that's about the appropriate spacing. Regardless, though, I'm going to be quite large after the holidays from all of this pie baking!
Anyway, after my husband found the peeler (for which I'm also QUITE thankful as it made peeling 6 apples a LOT easier), I was wisking the peels off those apples as if there was no tomorrow. And really, once you start peeling the apples for apple pie, you're committed to the task then and there. There is no tomorrow. But I digress. . . as I peeled, I chopped and sliced and diced those Braeburns into the 1/2" cubes they were destined to be, and then tossed said cubes into the measuring cup. Boy howdy was that measuring cup so amazing in those moments as I could easily see, without stopping the incessant apple-peeling process, the fruits of my labor . . . 2 cups, 3 cups, 4 cups. . . dump into the bowl. . . 1 cup. . . 2 cups. . . It was fantastic! Definitely a baker's dream.
Every now and then, I forget how wonderful these cups really are. I think "do I really need this? Are these little somethings that I couldn't live without?" Well, of course I don't NEED them and I certainly lived a good long while before I had the cups and could probably live a good deal longer BUT they're FABULOUS! And all it takes is a serious baking adventure to remind me.
Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. M, for giving these cups to us at our wedding shower. Absolutely awesome. I'm so thankful for them still!
I have been laboring over apple pie. I love apple pie and have been craving it for over a week. I bought apples and everything. Last night, I decided that tonight would be the night. After all, it will be more than a week before I have to make it again for my in-laws (I'm making maple-pecan for my dad and brother) so that's about the appropriate spacing. Regardless, though, I'm going to be quite large after the holidays from all of this pie baking!
Anyway, after my husband found the peeler (for which I'm also QUITE thankful as it made peeling 6 apples a LOT easier), I was wisking the peels off those apples as if there was no tomorrow. And really, once you start peeling the apples for apple pie, you're committed to the task then and there. There is no tomorrow. But I digress. . . as I peeled, I chopped and sliced and diced those Braeburns into the 1/2" cubes they were destined to be, and then tossed said cubes into the measuring cup. Boy howdy was that measuring cup so amazing in those moments as I could easily see, without stopping the incessant apple-peeling process, the fruits of my labor . . . 2 cups, 3 cups, 4 cups. . . dump into the bowl. . . 1 cup. . . 2 cups. . . It was fantastic! Definitely a baker's dream.
Every now and then, I forget how wonderful these cups really are. I think "do I really need this? Are these little somethings that I couldn't live without?" Well, of course I don't NEED them and I certainly lived a good long while before I had the cups and could probably live a good deal longer BUT they're FABULOUS! And all it takes is a serious baking adventure to remind me.
Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. M, for giving these cups to us at our wedding shower. Absolutely awesome. I'm so thankful for them still!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 15
Today, I am thankful for my husband's complete lack of any humiliation bone. He just don't embarass.
He went to the store with me tonight to grab a few (bags of) groceries for the coming week and, though it had been raining this afternoon/evening already and the ground was still rather damp, it was not raining when we left nor when we got to the store.
However, upon exiting the store a mere 15-30 minutes later, sure enough, the old man was snoring. We spied the couple we had walked in with and the gentleman of the pair was contemplating buying an umbrella. Logical, I suppose. But Mr. V had a more. . . creative idea in mind.
He ran back through the "exit only. not an entrance" door with the other husband following behind to find an umbrella, leaving me and the other wife to muse about the rain and our husbands' adventures in the store.
All of a sudden, my husband comes through the doors, struggling to get a Target bag over his shoulders. He stopped right in front of me and asked me to help him out. Of course, the other lady with us is laughing hysterically, but Mr. V doesn't notice or doesn't care. He simply tells me that he'll pull the car up and we can be on our way.
Now, the lady is still laughing but she's in for a greater surprise because what we don't tell her is that Mr. V intends to back the car RIGHT UP to the door, under the overhang, so that we can stay dry as we load. She is completely shocked as he actually does just this and laughs even more.
All laughing aside, I stay dry and Mr. V is once again my knight in shining armor (or a Target bag).
What a funny husband! Something to be thankful for!
He went to the store with me tonight to grab a few (bags of) groceries for the coming week and, though it had been raining this afternoon/evening already and the ground was still rather damp, it was not raining when we left nor when we got to the store.
However, upon exiting the store a mere 15-30 minutes later, sure enough, the old man was snoring. We spied the couple we had walked in with and the gentleman of the pair was contemplating buying an umbrella. Logical, I suppose. But Mr. V had a more. . . creative idea in mind.
He ran back through the "exit only. not an entrance" door with the other husband following behind to find an umbrella, leaving me and the other wife to muse about the rain and our husbands' adventures in the store.
All of a sudden, my husband comes through the doors, struggling to get a Target bag over his shoulders. He stopped right in front of me and asked me to help him out. Of course, the other lady with us is laughing hysterically, but Mr. V doesn't notice or doesn't care. He simply tells me that he'll pull the car up and we can be on our way.
Now, the lady is still laughing but she's in for a greater surprise because what we don't tell her is that Mr. V intends to back the car RIGHT UP to the door, under the overhang, so that we can stay dry as we load. She is completely shocked as he actually does just this and laughs even more.
All laughing aside, I stay dry and Mr. V is once again my knight in shining armor (or a Target bag).
What a funny husband! Something to be thankful for!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 14 - Birthday Edition!
Today, I'm so thankful for the number of years I have been on this Earth. It's my birthday, and this afternoon/evening, I spent it having lunch with my dad, playing whirlyball with friends, and having dinner at the Old Spaghetti Warehouse with most of the same (and some other) friends.
I tend to reflect upon the past year when it comes time to blow those candles out again and this year was filled with some great things. For example, during this past year, I both got engaged AND married. And I've shared in life's finer (and not so fine) moments. It's been an honor to be there through the good and not so good with people.
I'm so thankful that I'm here and that I'm a contributing member of society. I'm thankful that I've got great friends, family, and coworkers. I'm thankful that I don't totally stink at whirlyball. And I'm thankful that at the end of my birthday, I have a sweetheart to cuddle up with in front of our big ol' TV and a good ol' movie. Speaking of which, I'm off to do that right NOW!
By the way, if you wished me a happy birthday, thank you so much for taking a moment to say so. You rock my socks off!
I tend to reflect upon the past year when it comes time to blow those candles out again and this year was filled with some great things. For example, during this past year, I both got engaged AND married. And I've shared in life's finer (and not so fine) moments. It's been an honor to be there through the good and not so good with people.
I'm so thankful that I'm here and that I'm a contributing member of society. I'm thankful that I've got great friends, family, and coworkers. I'm thankful that I don't totally stink at whirlyball. And I'm thankful that at the end of my birthday, I have a sweetheart to cuddle up with in front of our big ol' TV and a good ol' movie. Speaking of which, I'm off to do that right NOW!
By the way, if you wished me a happy birthday, thank you so much for taking a moment to say so. You rock my socks off!
Friday, November 13, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 13
Today, I am thankful for not feeling nauseated all of the time!!!!
True, this is mostly due to my new eating and drinking habits (perpetually) but it seems to be working. There are a few downsides, such as frequent trips to the ladies' room, the inability to eat while trying to fall asleep, and the propensity late night fizzy drinks have to make me burp/hiccup.
I make have woken up nauseated, but I made it through the day without feeling totally horrible and that's a HUGE accomplishment for me right now. Something to celebrate and something to be thankful for :)
Oh, and by the way, the test says "not pregnant" in little digital words. Thanks for asking!
True, this is mostly due to my new eating and drinking habits (perpetually) but it seems to be working. There are a few downsides, such as frequent trips to the ladies' room, the inability to eat while trying to fall asleep, and the propensity late night fizzy drinks have to make me burp/hiccup.
I make have woken up nauseated, but I made it through the day without feeling totally horrible and that's a HUGE accomplishment for me right now. Something to celebrate and something to be thankful for :)
Oh, and by the way, the test says "not pregnant" in little digital words. Thanks for asking!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 12
Today, I am thankful that I have a job.
I've been waaaay stressed out lately and a lot of it comes from work. Now, I love my job, but since I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, I give myself a REALLY hard time when I can't do everything and can't do everything well. So having a lot of stuff on my plate has been incredibly overwhelming and has given me a bit of a tummy ache (to say the least).
But I'm thankful that I have job, especially in this economy. So many people are searching and trying to figure out how to make things work, and I have a job that I love. Even when grading papers, creating tests, and making copies of work-kids-lost-but-need-to-turn-in-so-they-don't-fail starts to bog me down. That's pretty cool.
I've been waaaay stressed out lately and a lot of it comes from work. Now, I love my job, but since I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, I give myself a REALLY hard time when I can't do everything and can't do everything well. So having a lot of stuff on my plate has been incredibly overwhelming and has given me a bit of a tummy ache (to say the least).
But I'm thankful that I have job, especially in this economy. So many people are searching and trying to figure out how to make things work, and I have a job that I love. Even when grading papers, creating tests, and making copies of work-kids-lost-but-need-to-turn-in-so-they-don't-fail starts to bog me down. That's pretty cool.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 11
Today, I am thankful for our veterans. I'm especially so thankful for my little brother making it back from Iraq safely. Yes, it was a number of years ago, but I'm still so blessed to still have him here. He faced a lot of difficult things while in the Marine Corps, most of which he will not tell me about so that I don't have nightmares. I hope that everybody managed to thank a service person at some point today, and that today will stand as a reminder for those who went before us, those fighting now, and those who will answer the call of duty in the future. These men and women keep us secure and free.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 10
I will start this post with a bit of a gripe - but stay with me! It'll turn around. I promise.
Yesterday, I asked Mr. V to pick up some meat for tacos on his way home from work while I stayed a bit later (read: 2 hours later - long story involving me fixing a copier more than two times). He came home with: TURKEY MEAT. Now, I am not wholly opposed to turkey. I like it at Thanksgiving. It makes a great deli sandwich. And as a substitute for beef in my sloppy joes, it totally works.
I don't like it in my tacos. I don't know why. I just can't stomach it. And the fact that I've been nauseated in general lately doesn't help my gag reflex when it comes to things I don't like.
Mr. V does like turkey tacos. A lot. So much so that tonight, when I said I would make tacos if we got some beef, he said he'd drive out in his UT t-shirt to get me free Whataburger (which he doesn't like) if I would make him turkey tacos.
I was pouting when I saw a bag of Tostitos laying out. Inspiration struck. Now, if you've ever worked or attended Camp Ozark, you remember (fondly) Build-A-Mountain day. I was lacking quite a few of the typical ingredients, but I had the chips, I had the turkey, and I had cheese. That's basically what I put on my tacos anyway, so I thought "I'll make this work." I didn't completely gag, so this worked out.
I'm glad it all worked out, but that's not what I'm thankful for.
Today, I am thankful for the fact that I have food to eat, a husband to argue with, and a creative mind that can turn problems upside down. Definitely blessings and worthy of my deep appreciation!
Yesterday, I asked Mr. V to pick up some meat for tacos on his way home from work while I stayed a bit later (read: 2 hours later - long story involving me fixing a copier more than two times). He came home with: TURKEY MEAT. Now, I am not wholly opposed to turkey. I like it at Thanksgiving. It makes a great deli sandwich. And as a substitute for beef in my sloppy joes, it totally works.
I don't like it in my tacos. I don't know why. I just can't stomach it. And the fact that I've been nauseated in general lately doesn't help my gag reflex when it comes to things I don't like.
Mr. V does like turkey tacos. A lot. So much so that tonight, when I said I would make tacos if we got some beef, he said he'd drive out in his UT t-shirt to get me free Whataburger (which he doesn't like) if I would make him turkey tacos.
I was pouting when I saw a bag of Tostitos laying out. Inspiration struck. Now, if you've ever worked or attended Camp Ozark, you remember (fondly) Build-A-Mountain day. I was lacking quite a few of the typical ingredients, but I had the chips, I had the turkey, and I had cheese. That's basically what I put on my tacos anyway, so I thought "I'll make this work." I didn't completely gag, so this worked out.
I'm glad it all worked out, but that's not what I'm thankful for.
Today, I am thankful for the fact that I have food to eat, a husband to argue with, and a creative mind that can turn problems upside down. Definitely blessings and worthy of my deep appreciation!
Monday, November 9, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 9
Nine days in and I'm still finding things to be thankful for! Or things for which to be thankful. Whatever you're gramatically preferring today.
Tonight, we ventured out to see what was going on in Sachse at the home of some folks we just met at the church we've been trying out. They said we'd play board games (which would have been awesome) but we really ate dinner, had cake, and talked about life in general. I have been wanting some new friends in our area for a while - it gets a little lonely watching the hubs play Tiger Woods Golf all the time. Not that I don't enjoy seeing him gain the glory of a game well played or a challenge finally met, but you know what I mean.
I am thankful for new opportunities to make connections with people who aren't waiting to get their drivers' licenses or complaining about how much homework they have. I'm thankful that it was so easy to get along with everyone and hang out. And I'm thankful that I met a guy who we think was actually taught by my mom! (He seems to remember her - he would have been in her reading class at one point, we're pretty sure)
Great night to meet everyone and fantastic to joke around about life in general. I'm so very thankful for that!
By the way, doing this has really helped me pull out of my funk! Mr. V tells me I'm laughing a lot more lately and we're both enjoying it. :) It just goes to show you it doesn't take long to pull yourself back up if you have the right perspective on things!
Also, look for future "I'm Thankful" posts featuring the smell in the English hall (ie: I'm so thankful that my classroom doesn't smell like raw sewage anymore)!!! I can't wait to post that!
Tonight, we ventured out to see what was going on in Sachse at the home of some folks we just met at the church we've been trying out. They said we'd play board games (which would have been awesome) but we really ate dinner, had cake, and talked about life in general. I have been wanting some new friends in our area for a while - it gets a little lonely watching the hubs play Tiger Woods Golf all the time. Not that I don't enjoy seeing him gain the glory of a game well played or a challenge finally met, but you know what I mean.
I am thankful for new opportunities to make connections with people who aren't waiting to get their drivers' licenses or complaining about how much homework they have. I'm thankful that it was so easy to get along with everyone and hang out. And I'm thankful that I met a guy who we think was actually taught by my mom! (He seems to remember her - he would have been in her reading class at one point, we're pretty sure)
Great night to meet everyone and fantastic to joke around about life in general. I'm so very thankful for that!
By the way, doing this has really helped me pull out of my funk! Mr. V tells me I'm laughing a lot more lately and we're both enjoying it. :) It just goes to show you it doesn't take long to pull yourself back up if you have the right perspective on things!
Also, look for future "I'm Thankful" posts featuring the smell in the English hall (ie: I'm so thankful that my classroom doesn't smell like raw sewage anymore)!!! I can't wait to post that!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 8
Today, I am thankful for ice cream sundaes with too many cherries to count!
I love ice cream sundaes - they are my latest "gotta have it" food substance. A few weeks ago, I asked my Facebook friends if it was okay for me to have ice cream for dinner. One very responsible mother of many told me "no," and a few others said "yes," (the joys of adulthood) so I went for it and never looked back!
On that note, Mrs. G, you will be pleased to know that I had a quesadilla for dinner before grabbing a spoonful of this delicious chocolate-covered, cherry-topped, vanilla delight. But I also had gelatto at the mall before I had my dinner. Does that cancel it out?
It's the simple things in life that make it worth living, so enjoy the things you have in front of you. If it happens to be an ice cream sundae, all the better :)
I love ice cream sundaes - they are my latest "gotta have it" food substance. A few weeks ago, I asked my Facebook friends if it was okay for me to have ice cream for dinner. One very responsible mother of many told me "no," and a few others said "yes," (the joys of adulthood) so I went for it and never looked back!
On that note, Mrs. G, you will be pleased to know that I had a quesadilla for dinner before grabbing a spoonful of this delicious chocolate-covered, cherry-topped, vanilla delight. But I also had gelatto at the mall before I had my dinner. Does that cancel it out?
It's the simple things in life that make it worth living, so enjoy the things you have in front of you. If it happens to be an ice cream sundae, all the better :)
Saturday, November 7, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 7
Ladies and gentlemen,
Tonight, before it's too late and is actually tomorrow, I want to tell you that I am thankful for double dates. Today was a wonderful and relaxing day for me and Mr. V and at the end of it, we headed out to Babe's with our friends, the T's. Well, when we got there, the line was OUT THE DOOR! I mean, it's fried chicken, people. Not face time with the Pope. Regardless, we met up with our friends and regrouped.
We went out to Love & War in Texas (excellent fried pickles, not so great fajitas - too smokey) and had a blast talking about life over dinner. Then we raced off to play Bingo. I tell you, I have never played such a stressful game before! We had agreed to split the winnings but none of us won so there was nothing to share but the misery and the frustration about the woman behind us winning twice in one set.
Doesn't matter. We still had a blast. Gotta love good friends!
Tonight, before it's too late and is actually tomorrow, I want to tell you that I am thankful for double dates. Today was a wonderful and relaxing day for me and Mr. V and at the end of it, we headed out to Babe's with our friends, the T's. Well, when we got there, the line was OUT THE DOOR! I mean, it's fried chicken, people. Not face time with the Pope. Regardless, we met up with our friends and regrouped.
We went out to Love & War in Texas (excellent fried pickles, not so great fajitas - too smokey) and had a blast talking about life over dinner. Then we raced off to play Bingo. I tell you, I have never played such a stressful game before! We had agreed to split the winnings but none of us won so there was nothing to share but the misery and the frustration about the woman behind us winning twice in one set.
Doesn't matter. We still had a blast. Gotta love good friends!
Friday, November 6, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 6
TGIF!!! Today, I'm thankful for the start of the weekend. In just a few "short" hours, I will be back at home again, resting on the couch with my husband, reveling in the fact that I don't have to be anywhere for two more days! The only ones who can demand anything of my time are my husband and me. Yep. The weekend is ALWAYS something to be thankful for :)
Get out there and enjoy it while it lasts!!
Get out there and enjoy it while it lasts!!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 5
Today, I am thankful for sweet, sweet people who not only remember my mother, but also miss her a lot. Below is an excerpt from an email I received upon inquiring about a memorial plaque that was placed in her honor. I have not seen it yet but hearing about it was good for my soul (and a bit sad, too, to tell the truth - I bawled).
Dear Megan,
Of course I remember your mother. I think of her often--her love of students and her sense of humor. . . Many teachers contributed to the plaque we put in the garden to honor your mother. . . her name and the quote are on the plaque. Besides the plaque, we also bought a set of wind chimes to hang from a near-by tree so that the melodious tones would remind us of your mother's beautiful voice and laugh.
I hope that sometime you will be able to visit the garden and find peace there.
Sincerely,
Mrs. R
Wasn't that sweet? It blessed my heart. I'm so glad that other people remember my mother for the wonderful person she was. Sometimes, I feel pretty alone in that department and this was just the reassurance I needed right now.
Dear Megan,
Of course I remember your mother. I think of her often--her love of students and her sense of humor. . . Many teachers contributed to the plaque we put in the garden to honor your mother. . . her name and the quote are on the plaque. Besides the plaque, we also bought a set of wind chimes to hang from a near-by tree so that the melodious tones would remind us of your mother's beautiful voice and laugh.
I hope that sometime you will be able to visit the garden and find peace there.
Sincerely,
Mrs. R
Wasn't that sweet? It blessed my heart. I'm so glad that other people remember my mother for the wonderful person she was. Sometimes, I feel pretty alone in that department and this was just the reassurance I needed right now.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 4
Bet you thought I was going to slack off tonight, didn't you? Don't try to pretend, Mrs. S! You've been tracking me, I know! ;)
Today, I am thankful for Mrs. K, who is just as behind on her thank you notes as I am! Tonight, we got together at a coffee shop and sipped and wrote, laughed, and compared notes on marriage. We find our husbands hilarious.
After we'd written as many as we could write (7 for me, 3 for her. . . we're not fantastic at this, clearly), we left to go just up the road to Mrs. K's apartment for dinner and a movie. Her husband, Mr. K, was off at welding class, a gift given to him by his lovely wife upon the occassion of his birthday.
Mr. V enjoyed an afternoon of CiCi's with a friend followed by an evening to himself - he had been craving it lately and I was happy to oblige him with some QT with his PS3.
All in all, I think everything worked out for everyone. And on the super plus side, I don't feel as guilty about being behind anymore. Turns out, I'm pretty normal! Yay!!!
Today, I am thankful for Mrs. K, who is just as behind on her thank you notes as I am! Tonight, we got together at a coffee shop and sipped and wrote, laughed, and compared notes on marriage. We find our husbands hilarious.
After we'd written as many as we could write (7 for me, 3 for her. . . we're not fantastic at this, clearly), we left to go just up the road to Mrs. K's apartment for dinner and a movie. Her husband, Mr. K, was off at welding class, a gift given to him by his lovely wife upon the occassion of his birthday.
Mr. V enjoyed an afternoon of CiCi's with a friend followed by an evening to himself - he had been craving it lately and I was happy to oblige him with some QT with his PS3.
All in all, I think everything worked out for everyone. And on the super plus side, I don't feel as guilty about being behind anymore. Turns out, I'm pretty normal! Yay!!!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 3
Today, I am thankful for a life well lived.
The past few weeks have been a very difficult time for family friends of mine. It's a pain I know all too well. A friend of my parents passed away last week on Monday from complications related to H1N1 and though it's incredibly sad and so, so hard to come to terms with, I want to share with you the amazing thing that came out of all of this.
God was glorified.
I am so fortunate to be at a time in my life where I attend more weddings than funerals, and can look forward to more births than I anticipate death. Regardless of how few memorial services I have attended, I have never seen a more amazing service and have never seen so many come to celebrate the life of one.
Mr. D, as I will call him to respect his family, was quite an amazing man. To hear his closest friends talk about him, you get the feeling that this was someone you wanted to be best friends with, too. Not only did they talk about the sort of professional he was, how talented a singer he was, and how much he enjoyed golf, they talked about his character. This was a man who loved Jesus Christ and dedicate his time and energy to serving Him, sharing his faith with so many. The words spoken to his widow and children were full of compassion and spoke a husband and father's true love for his family. It was so very touching. So poignant. And the number of people who came to pay tribute to this great man just showed you how far-reaching his life was. I came before the service started and had to sit in the overflow room because the sanctuary was full! It all makes me want to be a better friend, a better wife, and a better Christian.
He will definitely be missed, and though it was cut short by this terrible illness, his really was a life well lived, and I am so thankful for that.
The past few weeks have been a very difficult time for family friends of mine. It's a pain I know all too well. A friend of my parents passed away last week on Monday from complications related to H1N1 and though it's incredibly sad and so, so hard to come to terms with, I want to share with you the amazing thing that came out of all of this.
God was glorified.
I am so fortunate to be at a time in my life where I attend more weddings than funerals, and can look forward to more births than I anticipate death. Regardless of how few memorial services I have attended, I have never seen a more amazing service and have never seen so many come to celebrate the life of one.
Mr. D, as I will call him to respect his family, was quite an amazing man. To hear his closest friends talk about him, you get the feeling that this was someone you wanted to be best friends with, too. Not only did they talk about the sort of professional he was, how talented a singer he was, and how much he enjoyed golf, they talked about his character. This was a man who loved Jesus Christ and dedicate his time and energy to serving Him, sharing his faith with so many. The words spoken to his widow and children were full of compassion and spoke a husband and father's true love for his family. It was so very touching. So poignant. And the number of people who came to pay tribute to this great man just showed you how far-reaching his life was. I came before the service started and had to sit in the overflow room because the sanctuary was full! It all makes me want to be a better friend, a better wife, and a better Christian.
He will definitely be missed, and though it was cut short by this terrible illness, his really was a life well lived, and I am so thankful for that.
Monday, November 2, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 2
Today, I am thankful for friends and good food!
My friend and maid of honor, Miss S, came over tonight for some homemade deep dish pizza. That's right, I made pizza from scratch, starting with the dough. Now, to be fair, the pepperoni and cheese and sauce were all store bought but I assembled it all atop my homemade dough and baked it with love. So there!
My friend and maid of honor, Miss S, came over tonight for some homemade deep dish pizza. That's right, I made pizza from scratch, starting with the dough. Now, to be fair, the pepperoni and cheese and sauce were all store bought but I assembled it all atop my homemade dough and baked it with love. So there!
It's hard to tell, but this is the first few ingredients (yeast, water, and sugar) mixed together. You have to let it sit a few minutes. . .
and then you can add the other ingredients and mix 'em all up. If I had a stand mixer with a dough hook, I'd have used that. But I don't (sigh) and so instead I did it the old fashioned way.
Kneading the dough!
I did more than a 'light' dusting of flour! These are little bitty baby dough balls. Soon, they'll grow up to be big dough balls . . .
like these! These guys can't wait to become deep dish pizza crusts. Trust me. That's what they're thinking.
Loading. . .
Loading. . .
Still loading. . .
The dough's dream is realized!
Look at that deep-dish goodness!
Ta-da!
Miss S, Mr. V, and I ate to our stomachs' content and then some. Soooooo good! And definitely something to be thankful for :)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
I'm Thankful - Day 1
I've been in a bit of a funk lately. I'm not entirely sure why, but it has hit me pretty hard. I've been forgetting things, getting upset over (seemingly) nothing, and just having a difficult time with most everything.
But it's November, the month during which we in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving (Canada, I'm informed, celebrates in October. Thanks future-Mrs.S!) and in honor of this month, and in an attempt to lift my spirits and experience an attitude of gratitude, I am going to post, daily (here's hoping), things for which I am thankful.
Special thanks to Mrs. D in H-town for the inspiration - her joy challenge really got me thinking. So, without further adieu, I give you my gratitude journal!
Today, I am thankful for lazy Sundays that allow me to hang out with my beloved Mr. V. Here we are, hanging out together - him playing Tiger Woods on the PS3, me watching him on the hunt for the elusive hole-in-one.
But it's November, the month during which we in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving (Canada, I'm informed, celebrates in October. Thanks future-Mrs.S!) and in honor of this month, and in an attempt to lift my spirits and experience an attitude of gratitude, I am going to post, daily (here's hoping), things for which I am thankful.
Special thanks to Mrs. D in H-town for the inspiration - her joy challenge really got me thinking. So, without further adieu, I give you my gratitude journal!
Today, I am thankful for lazy Sundays that allow me to hang out with my beloved Mr. V. Here we are, hanging out together - him playing Tiger Woods on the PS3, me watching him on the hunt for the elusive hole-in-one.
Don't we look peaceful and content? What you can't see is that we're totally chillaxing in our sweat pants and t shirts. Wish I could bottle up this pace and unleash it on my hectic days! Yay, Sunday!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Superman to the Rescue!
This weekend, during my precious Texas/OU Game (Hook 'em, Horns!), I ventured out to Six Flags with (some of) the cheerleaders from my school. Not what I really wanted to be doing that day, but it was enjoyable regardless.
Now, even though we work together and co-chaperoned the trip last year, the girls voted that Mr. V could not attend. One cheerleader (a true sweetheart) told Mr. V he could go, but, alas, Mr. V had a different day in mind.
I have to be honest with you, gentle reader (anyone catch the allusion???), the V's have not kept up with our housekeeping lately. We've been so busy with the business of school, the chaos of our lives has been reflected in our home.
Whilst at Six Flags, waiting in line for rides, preparing to be spooked in haunted houses, Mr. V had been sending me text messages to let me know how much he missed me and teasing me with "I have a surprise for you" messages.
When the coaches finally caught up with all of the girls at dinner, I asked them what it could be. They came up with all sorts of ridiculous things (bless their little Freshmen hearts, they're so cute!) and all of a sudden, I had a new message. A message lacking a certain confidence. It said "You're going to like this surprise very much. . . I think." I joked with the girls that maybe he had cleaned our apartment.
When I got home, I found out that HE HAD cleaned our apartment!!! He whisked me away to see all of the work he'd done while I was gone. And WOW! He did a fantastic job! The first thing I noticed was the carpet was vaccuumed. No more little fuzzies!
Then I saw the clutter from the floor (mythology projects. . . blech) had been cleared, the table looked cleaner, and the bathrooms were (nearly) spotless!
It looks fantastic over here, I kid you not. So excited are we that we're going to have people over. Real people. Finally!
Some girls might dream of diamonds and pearls, but I'm happy with a clean apartment. And the flowers (in our wedding colors!) that were waiting for me on the bar. Yippee!!!
Now, even though we work together and co-chaperoned the trip last year, the girls voted that Mr. V could not attend. One cheerleader (a true sweetheart) told Mr. V he could go, but, alas, Mr. V had a different day in mind.
I have to be honest with you, gentle reader (anyone catch the allusion???), the V's have not kept up with our housekeeping lately. We've been so busy with the business of school, the chaos of our lives has been reflected in our home.
Whilst at Six Flags, waiting in line for rides, preparing to be spooked in haunted houses, Mr. V had been sending me text messages to let me know how much he missed me and teasing me with "I have a surprise for you" messages.
When the coaches finally caught up with all of the girls at dinner, I asked them what it could be. They came up with all sorts of ridiculous things (bless their little Freshmen hearts, they're so cute!) and all of a sudden, I had a new message. A message lacking a certain confidence. It said "You're going to like this surprise very much. . . I think." I joked with the girls that maybe he had cleaned our apartment.
When I got home, I found out that HE HAD cleaned our apartment!!! He whisked me away to see all of the work he'd done while I was gone. And WOW! He did a fantastic job! The first thing I noticed was the carpet was vaccuumed. No more little fuzzies!
Then I saw the clutter from the floor (mythology projects. . . blech) had been cleared, the table looked cleaner, and the bathrooms were (nearly) spotless!
It looks fantastic over here, I kid you not. So excited are we that we're going to have people over. Real people. Finally!
Some girls might dream of diamonds and pearls, but I'm happy with a clean apartment. And the flowers (in our wedding colors!) that were waiting for me on the bar. Yippee!!!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Two in One Night - Weird, but for a DELICIOUS reason
One evening, in the land of the Vs, an attempt at recreating Chili's scrumptious Skillet Queso was made. And friends, the Vs were NOT disappointed.
Now, I will not share my pumpkin bread recipe (family secret, no joke, don't ask) BUT since I found this gem on the world wide web, I would feel completely selfish if I didn't post it right here on my fledgling blog. So without further adieu, I give you homemade skillet queso (in a crockpot):
Here's what you get:
1-lb Velveeta
1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 pkg Old El Paso taco seasoning (couldn't find this. Subbed McCormick's. Was still fabulous)
3/4 jar or 8 oz of Old El Paso taco sauce
1/2 can of tomato sauce (small can)
corn chips
Here's what you do:
Brown hamburger and drain
Mix all ingredients in crock pot
Cook on medium or high until cheese melts (about 90 minutes)
Turn heat to low for serving and Voila!
Now, I have to tell you that it did burn a bit around the edges in my crock pot but the outcome was sooooooooooooooo good! It may not be completely spot on, but it is so close that I can close (homographs, people. love them!) my eyes and almost hear the bustle of the kitchen, the clanking of the plates, and I swear I can smell Mr. V's country fried chicken crispers and honey mustard coming around the corner.
The best part? Ask Mr. V: "It didn't even make much of a mess!" Very, very easy.
Enjoy!
Mrs. V
Now, I will not share my pumpkin bread recipe (family secret, no joke, don't ask) BUT since I found this gem on the world wide web, I would feel completely selfish if I didn't post it right here on my fledgling blog. So without further adieu, I give you homemade skillet queso (in a crockpot):
Here's what you get:
1-lb Velveeta
1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 pkg Old El Paso taco seasoning (couldn't find this. Subbed McCormick's. Was still fabulous)
3/4 jar or 8 oz of Old El Paso taco sauce
1/2 can of tomato sauce (small can)
corn chips
Here's what you do:
Brown hamburger and drain
Mix all ingredients in crock pot
Cook on medium or high until cheese melts (about 90 minutes)
Turn heat to low for serving and Voila!
Now, I have to tell you that it did burn a bit around the edges in my crock pot but the outcome was sooooooooooooooo good! It may not be completely spot on, but it is so close that I can close (homographs, people. love them!) my eyes and almost hear the bustle of the kitchen, the clanking of the plates, and I swear I can smell Mr. V's country fried chicken crispers and honey mustard coming around the corner.
The best part? Ask Mr. V: "It didn't even make much of a mess!" Very, very easy.
Enjoy!
Mrs. V
Oh my goodness! It's a miracle!!!
The last couple of evenings, I have been crazy craving Chili's Skillet Queso. The fact that we've been there twice in the last week and a half and haven't gotten the queso hasn't helped anything. I found a copycat recipe for the queso and planned to make it tonight after I went to training. Mr. V was walking out the door as I was on my way to my car for said training and said he was going to the store, so I asked him to pick up a few things for the queso. He was merely running (literally, on foot) to the convenience store so he said it wasn't going to happen then.
What happened next SHOCKED me. He said, "We'll go to the store tonight when you get back then."
Happy that he said this, I went on my way to training. After the training, I proudly showed him my "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" Romeo and Juliet review and then said "well, I'm going to the store."
This is when I was shocked AGAIN!!!
He said, "Well, wait. I'll go with you. Let me get my shoes."
This may not impress many of you, but to me, it is amazing! I've told him so many times that I'd love it if he'd go with me and so many times before he has disregarded that wish (we speak different love languages and while 'quality time' is one of mine, he does not see grocery shopping as 'quality time.' Fair enough. . . maybe).
But TONIGHT! Tonight, he actually went with me. I am so blessed to have a husband who will do the mundane tasks of life with me. Yay!
I love Mr. V!!!
What happened next SHOCKED me. He said, "We'll go to the store tonight when you get back then."
Happy that he said this, I went on my way to training. After the training, I proudly showed him my "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" Romeo and Juliet review and then said "well, I'm going to the store."
This is when I was shocked AGAIN!!!
He said, "Well, wait. I'll go with you. Let me get my shoes."
This may not impress many of you, but to me, it is amazing! I've told him so many times that I'd love it if he'd go with me and so many times before he has disregarded that wish (we speak different love languages and while 'quality time' is one of mine, he does not see grocery shopping as 'quality time.' Fair enough. . . maybe).
But TONIGHT! Tonight, he actually went with me. I am so blessed to have a husband who will do the mundane tasks of life with me. Yay!
I love Mr. V!!!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
A Sea of Testosterone
True story.
I had four girls and twelve boys in my A1 class at the beginning of this school year. The second week of school, the counselors decided to move two of those girls out of my class and into other teachers' classes. Fine. I still had two girls. Two poor little girls, floating like buoys of hope in the sea of testosterone, anchored at either end of the classroom as if to set up certain boundries.
Yesterday, I was about to start teaching my B3 class (I often attempt to start teaching before the bell) when one of the two girls from A1 showed up. With papers. Pink, transfer papers. Astonished and a little sad for the remaining A1 girl, I admitted this sweetie into the class.
This morning, I greeted my A1 class as they came in and teased the boys, telling them that they had scared one of our remaining girls away already and they'd better be nice to the girl we have left. Well, this girl never showed up. I marked her absent and went on my merry way, lumping the boys into their groups, encouraging them to finish their projects so we could insult each other (totally in the lesson plan - check out http://www.petelevin.com/shakespeare.htm and you can see the basic idea). They were on board with the idea but not totally because their conversation quickly devolved from Odysseus to "this one time when I was ____________." Fill in the blank. Whatever.
It's during this time that it dawns on me that girls, while possessing that certain quality capable of driving a man mad, tend to calm the boys down. I can't explain it. Maybe they're trying to impress the girls. Again, I don't know. What I do know is that my being there does very little to discourage locker room jokes and other boyish things. I hear more about farts and video games and football in that class than anywhere else. The boys just egg each other on!
Well, it is literally seconds before the bell and there's a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK on my door. The bell rings and my kids, who know the drill, stay motionless in their seats, hoping to be dismissed. I open the door to find my one last girl, clutching WITHDRAWL PAPERS!!! I turned to the boys and said "That's it. You've done it! You chased away all the girls."
They immediately pelt her with questions about where she's going and why she's leaving, apparently unconcerned with the fact that I am dismissing them.
I, on the other hand, am thinking "what am I going to do with all of these boys???"
When I told Mr. V about it, he said "That's awesome!" (which, by the way, is what the aide he sent to me said upon seeing the class full of boys) followed by "I don't know what it'd be like to teach, but what are the odds of that happening!?!"
I feel like I may drown in this sea. Can anyone tell me how you get guys to willingly read the parts of Nurse, Lady Capulet, Lady Montague, and, of course, Juliet? Because that's what I'm up against. Not sure how a tragic love story is going to go over with all these boys!
I had four girls and twelve boys in my A1 class at the beginning of this school year. The second week of school, the counselors decided to move two of those girls out of my class and into other teachers' classes. Fine. I still had two girls. Two poor little girls, floating like buoys of hope in the sea of testosterone, anchored at either end of the classroom as if to set up certain boundries.
Yesterday, I was about to start teaching my B3 class (I often attempt to start teaching before the bell) when one of the two girls from A1 showed up. With papers. Pink, transfer papers. Astonished and a little sad for the remaining A1 girl, I admitted this sweetie into the class.
This morning, I greeted my A1 class as they came in and teased the boys, telling them that they had scared one of our remaining girls away already and they'd better be nice to the girl we have left. Well, this girl never showed up. I marked her absent and went on my merry way, lumping the boys into their groups, encouraging them to finish their projects so we could insult each other (totally in the lesson plan - check out http://www.petelevin.com/shakespeare.htm and you can see the basic idea). They were on board with the idea but not totally because their conversation quickly devolved from Odysseus to "this one time when I was ____________." Fill in the blank. Whatever.
It's during this time that it dawns on me that girls, while possessing that certain quality capable of driving a man mad, tend to calm the boys down. I can't explain it. Maybe they're trying to impress the girls. Again, I don't know. What I do know is that my being there does very little to discourage locker room jokes and other boyish things. I hear more about farts and video games and football in that class than anywhere else. The boys just egg each other on!
Well, it is literally seconds before the bell and there's a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK on my door. The bell rings and my kids, who know the drill, stay motionless in their seats, hoping to be dismissed. I open the door to find my one last girl, clutching WITHDRAWL PAPERS!!! I turned to the boys and said "That's it. You've done it! You chased away all the girls."
They immediately pelt her with questions about where she's going and why she's leaving, apparently unconcerned with the fact that I am dismissing them.
I, on the other hand, am thinking "what am I going to do with all of these boys???"
When I told Mr. V about it, he said "That's awesome!" (which, by the way, is what the aide he sent to me said upon seeing the class full of boys) followed by "I don't know what it'd be like to teach, but what are the odds of that happening!?!"
I feel like I may drown in this sea. Can anyone tell me how you get guys to willingly read the parts of Nurse, Lady Capulet, Lady Montague, and, of course, Juliet? Because that's what I'm up against. Not sure how a tragic love story is going to go over with all these boys!
Monday, October 5, 2009
I Am a Church Snob
I just realized this as I was shopping after church on Sunday.
Mr. V and I have been searching for new churches since this summer. We've searched on and off. The main problem is that I love my old church. It's the church I was baptised in as a baby, the church I came to know Jesus in, the church where my family and I spent countless Sundays and special Christmas Eve's, the church I returned to after college, the church where my mother's service was held, and it was the church where I became Mrs. V.
Now, my church and I have had some ups and downs, we haven't always seen eye to eye, but it's my church! A few years ago, my largely conservative church decided that they would have a contemporary service. So at 11:05 every Sunday, you can find people rockin' out for Jesus up on the stage. You also get some solid scriptural analysis thrown your way. It's not a sit-and-get church.
Mr. V just wanted a church with a contemporary service with God-fearing people our age (for Bible study and fellowship - we're both down with other age groups) and opportunities to serve. He also wanted it to be a little closer to our zip code.
I wanted my church.
As we started our search, I was very critical about the churches we went to. I was determined to find fault with every single one so that we'd have no choice but to return to the church where we got married.
Nothing was good enough. The pastor at this church was too into his own jokes; they're selling food and beverages in the foyer of that church; what is a bookstore doing here?; this feels too much like a theater production; where is the rest of her skirt!?!; and the list goes on.
Well, I'd been waiting for an opportunity to go back to my church for a long time and, thankfully, we went back the last week in September and were just in time to commission (pray over and send out) our friends who will be serving and working with missionary kids in Germany for the next three years. God started working in my heart (he has a tendency to do that), though I didn't realize it until later, and an amazing thing happened:
This weekend, we were talking about what we'd do for church this week. Mr. V had seen a church over near our local mall and suggested that. After a bit of research (because he didn't know which one it was), we narrowed it down to the church we'd try.
I should mention that Mr. V and I have a special knack for visiting churches on "special" days. We've seen a lot of baptisms, a few communions, and an interview with non-Christians (pretty cool, really). This past Sunday was no different. There was no sermon, and as the preacher was rambling a bit about "if we talk about finances," I took a look around.
The auditorium (not sanctuary - think 'contemporary') was dimly lit with candles at the front; the seats were red, straight-back, chairs; the people were dressed casually. And my judgemental self started creeping in, ready to take over when SMACK! It hit me!
My mind reeled as I thought of all of the churches I've seen throughout the world in the past few years. I've been to super traditional church in Sydney, Australia. I went to casually contempo-traditional churches in Spain. I've seen outdoor churches AND cave churches in Egypt. I went to a church in LA held in an old movie theater, for crying out loud! My friends have told me about churches held in houses in China, Africa, and even in the United States.
I realized that I've been putting my idea of church into a box, carrying it around with me, and showing it off to people as if it's the original and the best thing that ever happened. What I've known all along came up and dumped cold water on me. It's not the outer presentation that matters. It's the message. It's the people. It's the heart that goes into the service. It's the offerings we make of our lives.
While shopping at the Gap, I talked it over with HH. She told me it's better to be a church snob and recognize it than to be a church snob and never know. Now for reformation!
We're going back to try this church again. This time, I'll see it with fresh eyes.
Mrs. V
Mr. V and I have been searching for new churches since this summer. We've searched on and off. The main problem is that I love my old church. It's the church I was baptised in as a baby, the church I came to know Jesus in, the church where my family and I spent countless Sundays and special Christmas Eve's, the church I returned to after college, the church where my mother's service was held, and it was the church where I became Mrs. V.
Now, my church and I have had some ups and downs, we haven't always seen eye to eye, but it's my church! A few years ago, my largely conservative church decided that they would have a contemporary service. So at 11:05 every Sunday, you can find people rockin' out for Jesus up on the stage. You also get some solid scriptural analysis thrown your way. It's not a sit-and-get church.
Mr. V just wanted a church with a contemporary service with God-fearing people our age (for Bible study and fellowship - we're both down with other age groups) and opportunities to serve. He also wanted it to be a little closer to our zip code.
I wanted my church.
As we started our search, I was very critical about the churches we went to. I was determined to find fault with every single one so that we'd have no choice but to return to the church where we got married.
Nothing was good enough. The pastor at this church was too into his own jokes; they're selling food and beverages in the foyer of that church; what is a bookstore doing here?; this feels too much like a theater production; where is the rest of her skirt!?!; and the list goes on.
Well, I'd been waiting for an opportunity to go back to my church for a long time and, thankfully, we went back the last week in September and were just in time to commission (pray over and send out) our friends who will be serving and working with missionary kids in Germany for the next three years. God started working in my heart (he has a tendency to do that), though I didn't realize it until later, and an amazing thing happened:
This weekend, we were talking about what we'd do for church this week. Mr. V had seen a church over near our local mall and suggested that. After a bit of research (because he didn't know which one it was), we narrowed it down to the church we'd try.
I should mention that Mr. V and I have a special knack for visiting churches on "special" days. We've seen a lot of baptisms, a few communions, and an interview with non-Christians (pretty cool, really). This past Sunday was no different. There was no sermon, and as the preacher was rambling a bit about "if we talk about finances," I took a look around.
The auditorium (not sanctuary - think 'contemporary') was dimly lit with candles at the front; the seats were red, straight-back, chairs; the people were dressed casually. And my judgemental self started creeping in, ready to take over when SMACK! It hit me!
My mind reeled as I thought of all of the churches I've seen throughout the world in the past few years. I've been to super traditional church in Sydney, Australia. I went to casually contempo-traditional churches in Spain. I've seen outdoor churches AND cave churches in Egypt. I went to a church in LA held in an old movie theater, for crying out loud! My friends have told me about churches held in houses in China, Africa, and even in the United States.
I realized that I've been putting my idea of church into a box, carrying it around with me, and showing it off to people as if it's the original and the best thing that ever happened. What I've known all along came up and dumped cold water on me. It's not the outer presentation that matters. It's the message. It's the people. It's the heart that goes into the service. It's the offerings we make of our lives.
While shopping at the Gap, I talked it over with HH. She told me it's better to be a church snob and recognize it than to be a church snob and never know. Now for reformation!
We're going back to try this church again. This time, I'll see it with fresh eyes.
Mrs. V
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)