My oh My it's Been a While

Sorry I have not updated this in a long while - my computer battery is dead and I cant use it, so my computer access is VERY LIMITED. Life is great and everything is going pretty good! I will sit here soon and type a nice update. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Updates

1. Still teaching at both schools - mornings at the school that lost the gym on the first day of school, afternoons at the other school. Our 'bandroom' at the fire school is the cafeteria but the kids and I are making it work. Other than the lack of classroom snafu, I LOVE my job - I teach great kids at both schools that really are enjoying music!

2. I am sick at home today. I woke up with a horrible sore throat that came out of nowhere. Usually I get a warning (a tickling in my throat or something like that) but not this time - I hate missing work, especially for this reason.

3. We are going to the Midwest in a couple of weeks, Omaha to be exact for Dave and June's wedding. I have never been to the Midwest USA before and I really am looking forward to this quick getaway - yay for weddings!

4. OK no number 4 really - going update my 101 now - smile!

NOLA

Just got home from NOLA and had a fabulous time! Saturday we rode the St. Charles trolley to our favorite breakfast spot, Camellia Grill and got soaked in a rainstorm running there from the trolley, waited an hour for a seat and pigged out on omelettes. I am telling you, when in NOLA, YOU GOTTA EAT HERE - it is absolutely delicious and the waitstaff is so fun to watch. they really enjoy their jobs. While we were waiting, a couple tried to cut us in line and there were like 7 or 8 people behind us and i got all defensive and said 'Um excuse me, but ALL of us were here before you and you will have to wait your turn' - i was kind of badass lol and they gave me the stink eye, but they sure didnt cut us after all lol.

We went back to the hotel after out wet adventure with extremely full bellies and then we went buy DH some casual clothes to go eat out at Emerils New Orleans. I had gumbo for my appetizer, Hanger steak medium rare with a mushroom gravy, creamed spinach and fried potatoes as my entree, and fig and mascarpone cheesecake as my dessert. I also drank a little over 1/2 a bottle of wine by myself lol. DH had a chili crusted shrimp entre and they accidentally sent out a crawfish meatball spagetti and i am definitely searching out this recipe because it was absolutely delicious. Two thumbs up and 1 big fat belly of approval for dinner at Emerils!

After dinner we went walk along the Riverwalk with our friends and as the night dragged along my wine drinking became more obvious lol. I just remember getting laughed at by everyone and some guy on an elevator gave me a funny look.

Sunday we walked around the French Quarter and DH took alot of building reference photos because he is writing and illustrating a story based in the quarter, so i just kind of hung out. We saw ALOT of very flamboyant gay men in costume on Sunday because this weekend is Southern Decadence, a HUGE gay pride weekend in NOLA that is always fun. I took a couple of pictures and i will post them on my facebook shortly. We went to Cafe du Monde for a quick rest and each had an order of beignets. I determined that my beignets taste better than du Mondes and i really determined that i will someday open my own cafe lol.

Last night we went eat at some restaurant down the street and it was pretty good, but nothing special, then stayed in the hotel room and we rented Drag Me to Hell on the TV. It was stupid and funny all at the same time.

Today we went to Magazine Street because i love to shop down there, but since it is Labor Day, most of the shops were closed including the ones i REALLY wanted to go to. So we stopped at a Community Coffee Cafe (louisiana coffee cafes that we have everywhere here) and grabbed a cup and ate a muffin, then we left and went to the Metarie cemetery so DH could do some more reference photos for his book.

So we are at the cemetery and because of that stupid cup of coffee, i REALLY have to pee. I mean, to the point of if i dont go immediately, it is gonna come out anyway kind of pee. So i look at DH and say 'I have to go NOW, do you think there is a bathroom nearby - he goes, just open the car door and pee in the grass. In my desperation, i did exactly that. I apologized profusely to the spirits because i felt so guilty but i just could not wait another second to pee lol.

and we stopped at the apple store in Baton Rouge on the way home. and that was our weekend :)

if you read through all of this, you get a cookie or how about a beignet instead!

The Roof is on Fire...

So I started the school year on fire...literally. On the very first day of school, about 5 minutes after the final group of students left for the day (I just happened to have duty), the gym burned down. A few other teachers, about 300-400 students, and myself had angels watching over us that day because literally the GYM BURNED DOWN ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER WE LEFT THE GYM!!!! Thankfully NO ONE was hurt and no students were on campus because I believe had that fire started minutes earlier, it would have been a sad mess. The gym was newly renovated (first and ONLY time that it was used) and there were men working on the roof, which is where they think the fire started. Thanks to the firemen, the school was spared, even the classrooms connected to the gym (for now those classes are not being used and the students are in temporary classes at a church just down the street).



This (and other scheduling issues) has now changed me from teaching at 2 schools and now I am officially teaching at only 1 school (not the school that caught fire) for the remainder of the year. This is great for me :) but sad for the kids at the other school :(

On the upside also for me, there were only about 30 kids in the band last year at the school I am teaching at. With my mad recruiting skills, I am anticipating about 100 kids in my program in my first year at this school - I am so pumped!!!!

WHOO HOO!

Got a teaching gig teaching 5-8 band at 2 elementary schools! I am so excited and I only have 2 weeks to prepare - AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH - better get to work!

finally out of the karma rut???

I dont know what I did to get in the karma rut in the first place, but the past year has been hellacious and it is starting to look up finally! I got a job working for wildlife and fisheries. I must say this is quite possibly the most boring job I have ever had, but everyone is nice and it is a job. I feel like I have wasted away so many months looking for work that I dont care if it is boring because real boring is sitting at home all day for NO pay lol.

I am still looking for a teaching gig and there is something in the works that may pan out, so we shall see. The music supervisor for the parish called me yesterday and told me that he is doing everything in his power to make sure I am working in his parish in the fall because he has heard nothing but fabulous things about me as a teacher. I feel so flattered!

My baby fever is in absolute overdrive. I am being inundated with pregnancies and new babies from friends and family. Hopefully by the beginning of next year we will feel 'caught up' from all the medical bills and debt that was accumulated over the past year and can start trying. My baby clock is ticking like crazy!

I do have to say in spite of all of the problems I had in the past year, I really have no complaints and I absolutely love my life and I wouldn't trade what I have for the world. My strength has been by husband, my family, and my friends that have kept me going when I didn't want to. I am forever grateful for them in my life!

I am going to try to post more often because I suck at the bloggy posting!

Time for a New Post I Suppose

I have been kinda busy lately, but here's a quick run down of what has been happening!

1. Kody and I celebrated our first anniversary last Sunday. We went to St. Martinville to the Evangeline State Park, had lunch at a place called Possums (it was delicious and NO we did not eat any possum - haha). He gave me a monogrammed Slanket and it is so ridiculous and funny at the same time. We didnt eat anniversary cake because after the wedding we both agreed that would be disgusting to eat year old cake, so we went eat ice cream at Baskin Robins instead! We had a wonderful day!

2. I have been applying like crazy for jobs. I go to 2 teacher job fairs this week, so I will see what happens there. Also, I applied for some state positions, mostly at ULL and at UMC. I took some required tests and I passed them. I am going to follow up on those positions this week.

3. I subbed for the first time ever on Friday for a kindergarten class and it was fun!

4. I am real serious about bargain hunting now that I am unemployed and this is something that I am going to keep up with after I have a job again because I am saving insane amounts of money on items we need for the house.

5. I enjoyed Festival International this year, the weather was awesome and the groups were great. I know they broke records with the crowds this year, it was insane.

6. I baked a carrot cake for Easter and it was delicious. I am baking another one in a few minutes. I love baking.

I hope everyone is doing ok!

Going back to teaching sooner than planned...

I got laid off Friday. The economy down here is beginning to catch up with the rest of the country. The oil companies are freaking out and starting to lay off workers and in effect, that is slowing down the business where I worked (ALOT), and so I lost my job. So I went to the school board office and applied to substitute teach. I have to do fingerprints tomorrow or Tuesday and then I am good to go.

So everything is figured out for until the end of May, now I need to lock in a job for the next school year and for the summer, bummer, just to make sure ends meet. I am hoping Kody gets his stuff locked in so I dont worry so much.

Everyone keeps telling me that things happen for a reason, I just wish I could figure the reason out, I feel very defeated right now as this technically the third job I have lost since August, all for reasons completely out of my control.

I am just keeping my head up, going to enjoy my anniversary on the 19th, Festival on the 23rd, and the fair in Thibodaux the week after that. At least April is an inexpensive, but fun month!

i only like the rainy weather when

i can sit at home and be all snuggly on my couch. i do not like to have to go to work when it is ugly out.

i had a good week overall. still looking for a teaching gig. i know it will all work out so i am staying positive.

will write more eventually...

OMG I almost freaked myself out just now

Last year when I was sick, I had some episodes in my legs where parts of my legs felt like they were wrapped in giant rubber bands. Well I just had that same feeling in my left arm and I about started to freak out, but then I realized that my jacket had taken my sleeve and rolled it up tight at the end, so thats what I felt! Thank God thats all it was! lol

Just a couple of updates today:

1. I took off of work Friday and went help hand out packets for Susan G. Komen and then I went help for the race on Saturday (REALLY early btw). It feels so good to help a cause and I will continue to do so.

2. I went watch some bands perform at the District festival on Friday afternoon and networked with some directors and got the word out that I am looking for next year.

3. I went visit my folks and also my aunt. I really missed them!

4. My husband stayed up late Sunday night making my resume look miles above every other resume on earth - he rocks!

5. Monday I went to the teacher job fair and passed around those resumes and networked with a variety of schools and parishes. I definitely have some leads, especially with business education (which I would LOVE to teach) and will be sending follow up emails to schools this afternoon. I want to CHOOSE where I will teach next year, so I am being proactive!

More later...

Feeling empty

and discouraged. Still no call from the school that i applied. i followed up late last week and was told they were still going through the process but i dont know what that means. to me, if you are looking, then you should already be in the process, but eh whatever. and i dont know what else to do without seeming pestering - any suggestions anyone? i want them to know that i would be awesome for this job and i dont know what else to say or do!

the only other school i know of with an opening right now is a low income school and i would prefer to not have the added stresses of working there. i dont have anything against teaching at a low income school, except its REALLY stressful and i cannot afford stress in my life as thats what makes me sick.

i just feel so empty inside right now. this current job is so boring that no matter what i do, i just feel like i contributed zero. i dont like that but i wont complain out loud because to be fair everyone is really nice here and they were nice enough to hire me.

i am keeping myself active in the community. i have been volunteering for Susan G Komen race and thats this weekend. it feels really good to help others. i never did anything like this before mostly because i was always so busy but now i am not so i didnt have an excuse anymore and so i started helping.

i need more girlfriends. i have friends that are girls, but everyone is always so busy with their lives that its so hard for them to find time to do things to hang out. after repeated efforts, i just stop trying and leave it up to them.

i am just going to stay optimistic and know that everything always works out. hopefully my next post isnt all doom and gloom.

so i started looking for a teaching job!

Officially i applied for a teaching position at a small, private school as a band director and general music teacher! i hope i get the opportunity to interview and i really hope they LOVE me and offer me the job! and if not, i know i will find something!

i am really excited about being a teacher again - sometimes i even shock myself! at least now i realize that i only left due to bad situations and general burnout. and both of those things i can control!

everything IS going to be fine in 2009!

I Had a Productive Day - YAY ME!!

8:00am - woke up

8:40am - left for Sunday mass

9:00am - Mass

10:00am - went to grocery store for milk, butter, toothpicks, paper towels, chicken, dish soap, and a newspaper

10:30am - went to Maurice, dropped off Kody at the cafe

11:00am - visited Mom and Dad

1:30pm - visited Aunt Tammy and Uncle Randy and the kids

2:30pm - came home

3:00pm - worked on band handbook to turn in for a job prospect and i really want this one!

4:00pm - hand washed my car (it was SO pretty outside today)

5:00pm - went get Kody

5:30pm - started dinner - baked bacon wrapped chicken breasts, homemade mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and bread pudding for dessert 

7:00pm - ate dinner

7:30pm - now - working on lesson plan for same job prospect and still waiting on bread pudding

i feel good!

ps. kody killed 2 big ass ugly spiders in the house today - 1 in the bathroom this morning and 1 in the kitchen just now - EEEK! he is researching on the internet as to what kind they were because i am nothing short of freaking out right now!

Caught the Flu or something NASTY - my random thoughts

It feels like the flu, but I took a flu shot. I started feeling bad Monday and Tuesday I felt worse but shrugged it off for Mardi Gras. Tuesday afternoon, I was knocked on my ass (so to speak), went to work Wednesday and left early and took off today. I feel better, but not great, but I will go get some hours in tomorrow.

I did clean my kitchen today so I dont feel completely useless. I also cleaned smelly dog and she is currently snoring really loud, so I guess she feels great.

I am completely obsessed with making beignets and tomorrow night I will try stuffing some with chocolate ganache filling. My husband will get fat if I dont cut it out, but I cant help it. I dont even eat them, I just love to make them.

I dont know if I want to teach next year, I am really confused right now and wish I could figure it all out. I did like teaching at first and I think I just got really burnt out teaching high school, so I think if I try middle school and am selective, I will enjoy it again. I have been told by former students that I was good, so I guess I did ok because I would not lie to my old teachers that I thought were idiots, so I dont know. And contrary to what others say, teachers get paid pretty damn good - I have a master's degree and I cant even make close to what I did teaching.

I really have baby fever. I never thought I would EVER, but I do and I think its because everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) is having babies right now. I am just waiting patiently until we can afford to feed another mouth - living off of my low salary and K's artist salary gets tough and we are playing catch up from my illness last summer. I think this may be the major reason I am thinking about teaching again. Until then, I will get my baby fill with all the little ones in my life.

I really want a McFlurry right now, so bad it hurts. Thanks 30 Rock from about 3 weeks ago.

I am so proud of my husband. He is every kind of amazing.

I need to work on my list. I feel like a slacker.

Small Update

I joined the Susan G. Komen foundation and attended my first meeting - yay me!

I finished the first Twilight book and will go get the second one hopefully tonight. So that's 6 1/2 books completed.

A second cousin was born last Thursday - Graham Francis Snodgrass. He is absolutely adorable and is not helping with my 'baby fever' that I contracted in the past few months. The top picture is Graham and the bottom is Graham with Norah!

Nothing much else going on right now, just financially trying to keep my head above water, but no worries about that either because it is just money!

Unselfish and selfish acts

My first unselfish act - brought my cousins to the park to give my uncle a break, he looked mighty ragged. He is running everything right now because my aunt just started her chemo last week and it is making her sick.

My first selfish act - I bought 2 MAC lipsticks with a giftcard that I received for Christmas. This is completely selfish as I could have bought many different things with my giftcard, but instead I spent almost $50 on lipstick - wowzers!

So no yoga today - but...

instead I will go and ride my bicycle. I have a case of the frumpies today and I really dont want to do much of anything, but I will go ride my bike to try and get out of the frumpiness. I have no money for yoga today.

I dont want to be at work. I would rather be making beignets instead.

bleh

HOPE

i found this just now while playing around on the net and i love it!! thought i would share!

Weighing my options

OK so let me preface this by saying I DO like my job. I just am so tired of worrying about whether I will have one from week to week and it does leave me feeling empty at the end of the day. So now I am starting to think about going back to teaching. This time around I will choose where I am teaching and I think I might look into teaching in private schools specifically. The pay will be less than if I would go back to public schools, but the headaches would without a doubt be less. 

I am going to start sending out the ol' resume and see if I get any bites. That way, by summer, I will know if I want to stay where I am or if I want to get back into the grind of teaching again.

Ok here's a picture of me doing what I absolutely LOVE to do: baking! I was making beignets from scratch in this picture - enjoy!

Welcome Norah Alise Sanner!

Nan and Rusty's baby girl Norah Alise was born today weighing 7lb, 2oz - isnt she a beautiful baby?

January 25, 2009

Got 2 more things marked on my list as complete! Last night Kody and I received a KitchenAid stand mixer from our great friends Tom, Rachelle, Scott and Peggy as a wedding gift - they rock!

Yesterday and today I took the junk room and turned it into a bedroom. I got my old daybed from the folks and threw out alot of junk and now it actually looks like a bedroom! YAY ME!!!!! I just have to put some finishing touches to make it look nice, but it is now a fully functioning bedroom!

Motivated

Book Number 5 Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover. All I got to say is holy cow - i WILL be debt free in the next few years - this year: credit card next year: car year after that: student loans - its a MUST READ

Day 3 - My not so eventful day

Nothing too eventful so far today. Last night Kody and I went eat sushi (first time in about a year that I ate sushi - YUMMY!) and then went home and watched the Hornets win again! This weekend I am going to participate in the prolife walk being held. I also hope to get started on cleaning out the back bedroom because I told my momma that I would go pick up the bed from her this weekend.

I also came up with a fabulous idea for a business downtown, so I may look further into it this weekend.

So I guess this is what blogging is? A really boring read, eh?

Day One of 1001

I decided to do the 101 in 1001 because there are so many goals that I would like to reach, some being small and some a bit larger. So now I will blog about my achievements!

Bold = Completed

Italics = In Process

1. Write out a list and start a blog - completed 1/20/09

2. Update blog with accomplishments

Health

3. Ride bike for 3 hours every week for a month (0/12)

4. Take yoga classes

5. Lose 74 pounds (4.2/74)

6. Keep food journal for 2 weeks (0/14)

7. Take my vitamin(s) once a day at least 100 times (7/100)

8. Get health insurance for husband and me

9. Get life insurance for husband and me

10. Dry my own fruit using a dehydrator

11. Go see the eye doctor and get some new eyeglasses and contact lenses

Self Indulgences

12. Get a facial just because

13. Get a manicure just because

14. Get a pedicure just because

15. Buy sexy lingerie and actually wear it

16. Read 50 books in 2009 (5/50)

17. Taste a new food that I normally would not eat

18. Have a 'girls night' at least 3 times a year (0/9)

19. Have a 'date night' with my husband at least once a month (1/33)

20. Keep my nails well groomed and polished for an entire month (0/31)

21. Spend a day at the spa and get the full treatment

22. Purchase myself a KitchenAid stand mixer - received as a gift 1/24/09

23. Shave my legs every 2 days for a month (0/15)

Financial

24. Write a will and living will

25. Work on Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps 1, 2, 3 - started 1/25/09

26. Deposit $10 into savings for each item completed ($30/$1010)

27. Deposit $1 into savings for each day of the project ($17/$1001)

28. Make a budget and stick to it for 3 months (0/3)

29. Use coupons to shop for groceries

30. Pay off credit card balances and then cut up the cards (0/4)

31. Pay off Mustang

32. Save all change for duration of list and cash out at the end of 1001 days

33. Sort the bills as they come in and toss the junk mail

Services

34. Adopt a family/child every Christmas (0/2)

35. Randomly pay for someone's meal in a restaurant

36. Donate 101 things I no longer need/use/wear (20/101)

37. Remember important dates and send cards

38. Send a care package to a soldier overseas

39. Buy and donate children's books to a worthy cause

40. Write and mail 10 handwritten letters

41. Volunteer for a cause that I believe in - joined the Susan G. Komen foundation

42. Attend at least 6 Art Walks or art exhibits with my husband (0/6)

43. Surprise my husband with a candlelit dinner

44. Bring dog/cat food to an animal shelter once a month for a year(0/12)

Home

45. Clean out back bedroom and turn it into an actual bedroom - completed 1/25/09

46. Own a home

47. Own land

48. Buy flowers for the house once a month for a year (1/12)

49. Make the bed every day for a month (0/31)

50. Clean out my closet and drawers

51. Clean my car at least once a month for a year (0/12)

52. Obtain a piece of original art for my home

Projects

53. Make a book of my favorite recipes for me

54. Publish a book of my favorite recipes and sell

55. Make a scrapbook

56. Learn how to sew using a sewing machine

57. Bake and decorate a wedding cake

58. Transfer all home videos to DVD

59. Photograph a part of my life every day for a year (0/365)

60. Start a new craft and follow through to the finish - painting name letters

61. Learn conversational French

62. Make calendars for the family with all the important dates

63. Grow an herb garden

64. Grow a vegetable garden

65. Practice my guitar for at least 1 hour a week for 6 months (0/24)

66. Sort all photos and make them into photo books

67. Scan all of the family land documents to disc

68. Get my business off of the ground

69. Make all gifts for one Christmas

70. Acquire and use reusable grocery bags

71. Visit graves of lost loved ones at least once a year (0/3)

72. Find a group on Meetup and join it, and attend a meeting for this group - joined a group on 1/28/09 and will attend a meetup when one is scheduled

73. Eat a picnic lunch in a park or near a body of water

74. Make my own jelly/preserves OR can something

75. Host a 'Goodwill Formal' costume party

76. Go bargain hunting at least 20 times (0/20)

77. Take a cooking or baking class

78. Keep a dream journal for 1 month (0/31)

79. Go 1 week without watching any television (0/7)

80. Find quotes to live by and jot them in my 'hope' notebook

81. Get up when the alarm goes off, not after snoozing for 1 month (0/31)

82. Campaign for a candidate in an election

83. Change the burnt tail light on my car

84. Renew the inspection and plate on my car (they are expired/expiring)

85. Pay the 'fee' for my car insurance

Travel

86. Go on vacation with a group of friends

87. Go to New York

88. Go to Las Vegas

Inner Health

89. Identify 100 things that make me happy (0/100)

90. Identify 25 things I like about myself (0/25)

91. List one thing I am grateful for, every day for a year (0/365)

92. Go to church once a week for 3 months (1/12)

93. Make a baby (after a majority of this list is completed, of course)

94. Graciously accept every compliment I receive for 6 months (0/6)

95. Give at least one compliment per month for 6 months to someone I dont know (0/6)

96. Give at least one compliment per week to someone I do know (2/142)

97. Do an unselfish act once a month (1/33)

98. Do a selfish act once a month (1/33)

99. Don't complain about anything for 1 week (0/7)

100. Start a new 101 list on day 1000

101. Encourage a friend to start their 101