THANK YOU LITTLE L!!!!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new look of my blog! You spent hours on it and I truly appreciate you taking the time to help my vision come alive! You are the best!!!!

Love you!
xo,
Mama

Irish Jig

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The Power of Words

I get this little food magazine from Kraft. I actually get great ideas for dinners, etc. out of it, although all of it is using prepared and packaged foods. But let's be real - sometimes that is all you have time for when you are working full time, maintaining a house, and your grandson lives 3 hours away because his mother abandoned the family and moved to Phoenix. simply because she married a man who happened to also live in Phoenix. Whatever.

Anyway, I digress. The point is, the foods, as I have mentioned, are completely just prepared foods put together, and given a really cool name.

For example - Creamy mediterranean Bites. Doesn't that sound delicious and time consuming?

Yeah - it's cream cheese on a Ritz cracker with an olive plopped on top.

But all day long now I have been craving these "creamy mediterranean bites" like mad. So it got me thinking.

Everyone knows I don't cook. And when I do cook, I don't cook well. And when I don't cook well, I am also very unimaginative. So I am going to re-name my few meals that I can make and see if they go over a little better at the dinner table in front of the tv.

Menu for the Week:

Monday - *angel hair strands of thinly slice dough with a smooth, ruby sauce. Tender shoots of emerald green elliptic leaves in a creamy, rich bath.

(* Spaghetti with sauce, salad with ranch dressing. )


Tuesday - *edible grain in crescent shapes, brimming with ground sirloin and fresh shredded cheddar

( * tacos )

Wednesday - *tender, freshly roasted on rotisserie, poultry with just a hint of citrus, sprinkled with herbs & pommes frites, bursting with steam

( *I'm picking up a chicken from the store and some of those thick french fries from the deli counter )

Thursday - *Four mini burgers topped with applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, sautéed onions and Ranch dressing on sesame seed buns. Served with crispy onion strings and jalapeño-ranch dressing.

(*I've called Sparky at work and asked him to pick up some take-out from Chili's. )

Friday - *Something expedient and hot that will be eaten in a small, cozy space. I GOTTA GO TO THE STATE CAPITOL!!!

(* McDonald's eaten in the car because my daughter abandoned her family to go marry some guy in Phoenix!!!)

X Marks the Spot... A Meme (put an X next to the things that apply to you)

1. Started your own blog X
2. Slept under the stars X
3. Played in a band X
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower X
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world X
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo X
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch X
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning X
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty X
18. Grown your own vegetables X
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight X
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill X
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset X
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person X
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community X
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant X
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight X
46. Been transported in an ambulance X
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain X
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater X
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen X
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason X
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial X
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square X
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person X
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car X
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper X
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury X
91. Met someone famous X
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one X
94. Had a baby XX
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit X
98. Owned a cell phone X
99. Been stung by a bee

All this photo needs is a rainbow and some lollipops...

WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO VIEW THIS PHOTO IF YOU HAVE DIABETES.

Happy Green Day! :-)

My Mad Editing Skills....

From TIME.COM


***********Jorge and Jasmine are going home—no big surprise in either one, though I expected Jasmine to hang on a bit longer. The big news out of last night's Idol was the "new rule" affecting eliminations, and let me take a deep breath and get it all out:
Each week, the lowest vote-getter will continue to be eliminated—with one exception. The judges will have the power to spare one bottom-finisher form going home per season. ************

Form instead of from! TIME.com HIRE ME!!! :-)

So what if I am supposed to be scanning science benchmark tests and cleaning my office.

44 Odd Things... or how you are sorry that I came back to blogging.

44 ODD Things about you! If you opened this, FILL IT OUT! Learn 44 things about your friends, and let them learn 44 things about you! Tag the person that sent it plus others.


1. Do you like blue cheese? No.

2. Have you ever been drunk? No.

3. Do you own a gun? No.

4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite?No. I mean, I don't like Kool-Aid and don't remember having it as a kid.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Sometimes.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Nasty.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Say it with me... National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Hot Tea, brought to me by my darling husband.

9. Can you do push ups? Cute.

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My heart necklace from Sparky.

11. Favorite hobby? reading decorating blogs.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? No ... I don't believe in it. I think that it's just a behavioral problem that paren.... oh look! a bunny!!!

13. What's your favorite shoe? the left one? What kind of question is this?

14. Middle name? Let's not go there.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? 1. I wish I had a soft pretzel with cheese from the mall. 2, I was late putting the pork chops in the oven so dinner will be late. 3, I don't even like pork chops that much.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Iced tea, water, Diet Dr. Pepper

17. Current worry? student loans

18. Current hate right now? that I live in Tucson when my grandson lives in Phx.

19. If you could meet someone, anyone who ever lived, who would it be? Hmmm, I have many choices. Top 3 would be Abe Lincoln, Princess Diana, and my grandmother on my father's side.

20. How did you bring in the New Year?At home, falling asleep, trying to stay awake to watch the ball drop.

21. Where would you like to go? PARIS!

22. Name three people who will complete this form? haha.

23. Do you own slippers? Yes.

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now?Navy blue with red lettering "Arizona WIldcats"

25. Do you like sleeping on Satin sheets? Ewww. No. Love flannel in winter and clean, crisp cotton at other times.

26. Can you whistle? Barely.

27. Favorite color? Depends on mood and where the color is. I love green and greens like the sea. I love black and white a lot too!

28. Would you be a pirate? Yes, Johnny Depp.
(Oh! I thought it said, "Would you do a pirate?") - Um, no, I would not be a real pirate.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I hum, rarely sing.

30. Favorite Girl's Name? Well my girls have beautiful names but if I could pick one for myself it would be Emma, Emily or Catherine.

31. Favorite boy's name? ANDREW ( smile!)

32. What's in your pocket right now? nothing.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? Little L. She CRACKS. ME. UP.

34. Best bed sheets as a child? I had a cot. Don't remember sheets.

35. Worst injury you've ever had as a child? Crashing on my bike. Having to go to the hospital for stitches and cleaning. BUT before we could go, my mom made me change from my shorts into a dress. (????) 4 people held me down to get the needles into my knee for the numbing. My knee still hurts!!!

36. Do you love where you live? No. But I love that I am healthy and have Andrew fairly close by.(3 hours is still far away though)

38. Who is your loudest friend? Cristela

39. How many dogs do you have? None.

40. Does someone have a crush on you? I know some teachers that want to crush me but having a crush on me? I hope my husband still does!

41. What is your favorite book? Madeline - the original

42. What is your favorite candy? Hershey's chocolate bar with almonds.

43. Favorite Sports Team? Ummmm, uhhhhhh, hmmmm.... gosh. I love em all! (HAHAHAHAHA)

44. What song do you want played at your funeral? Shenandoah & Moon River

"Interesting Observation"

We have teaching (small group or one on one instruction) for students during the spring break. The students who miss three or more objectives on the benchmark test are required to attend this spring break teaching time. It's 4 days and I coordinate it and actually get quite a lot caught up from my own desk. I don't actually teach, I just coordinate getting the teachers to teach, the student data, etc. Today, after the morning math class, a teacher came into my office:

Teacher: I have an interesting observation. (puzzled look on teacher's face)

Me: Yes?

Teacher: I have a student who did poorly on the formatives I gave this morning but she does really well on the math fact fluency.

Me: (waiting for the interesting observation)

Me: (realizing that was IT)

Me: Why do you think that is? (trying to pull it out of him, like the skilled dentist that I am)

Teacher: I don't know! That's why I am coming to you!

Me: Is the skill on the formative the same skill on the math fact fluency probe? (I know that it is NOT the same skill)

Teacher: No.

Me: (blink, blink)

Me: (waiting.....)

Me: So what do you make of this? (pulling some more - hand me the pliers, please)

Teacher: I don't know!! That's why I am asking you!

Me: It's not the same skill. Just because she did well on one skill, doesn't mean she will do well on another skill. She needs to be re-taught the objectives - the ones you just tested her on, on the formative.

Teacher: Ohhh, yes!

Me: (Looking into dental schools)

Me: Is there some connection that you see between these two very different math skills?

Teacher: No.

Me: So are you all good?

Teacher: Yeah, I just thought it was interesting that she did well on one math skill and not the other.

Me: (Fake smile.) Well, I am glad we were able to talk about it. Have a good afternoon!


Maybe this is just a teacher thing - but wow... I was floored. Seriously?

MIA... I know, I know

What can I say? Sometimes you just aren't inspired to write or you are too, I am talking TOO busy to write. Sometimes you are filled with worry and other times you are just plain tired. There are many reasons that I haven't blogged in the past several months. But I feel good about the break I had from writing and am ready (and was requested) to get back into writing here again.

As all two of you know who read my blog, Little L was accepted into the Disneyland College Program. The good news out of thousands of applicants, only 200 around the country are chosen. The bad news is that, like anything the poor girl has tried to pursue, it was something we just couldn't afford anymore.

The program is supposed to be a way for them to get their foot in the door. Unfortunately with the economy the way it is, Disneyland is effectively shutting down the program (DisneyWorld is still good - so far) and the way they do that is to not give enough hours to the kids working there on the program. After draining her savings the first month to make rent and buy food, she was once again about $400.00 short for rent and groceries at the end of February. She and two of her roommates could no longer afford to stay and had to leave. It was utterly depressing not only to see Little L's dream go down the drain, but to even watch two friends she had made in the program, lose theirs as well. These girls just happened to be here at the wrong time. With park attendance down, they just cannot justify paying these girls and trying to keep the regular cast members, who are union, happy as well. So she is home now but of of course, resigned her job with my school district to take this "internship" so we are back to square one. Luckily, we love having her around and I told her that being 19 means that it might take a few tries before she can officially launch into the real world.

Speaking of the real world, I know that DIsneyland is trying to get the remaining kids to leave because they sent them an email to let them know that their rent in April would be $790 instead of $640 because there are 5 weeks in April, not 4. I had to explain to Little L that that is NOT how the real world works... when you pay rent monthly - it does not matter how many weeks are in a month, the rent is the same!!! And these young girls were making $8.00 an hour and sharing a 2 bedroom apt. and EACH share of rent was $640.00. Was the apartment they were in worth over $2500.00 a month?? Hardly.... This is the first time Disney offered housing and I think they really messed up. Anyway -- that's been heavy on my mind but now that she is home, I am resting a little easier knowing she is not in Anaheim (the neighborhood was scary) and riding the bus with the AA guys and the crazies.

Speaking of crazies, I will save the crazy story of our visit to her, the man that was attacked in front of us, calling 911 and eventually having Sweet Pea supoened to California!!! Ah yes, the fun never ends.

Now my sweet Boo Bear turned one year old and I took no photos of him in his birthday hat. I am thinking I need to take care of that this weekend. I am working this week (even though it's spring break) so that I can pay the tax man this year. But I only work Mon. - Thurs. and then I get to see Boo Bear and I simply cannot wait.

The other person that inspired me to write again was a comment from my sweet sister, Edna , who commented on how gorgeous Boo Bear is (Yes, sis, we call him Andrew) -- she inspired me because she loves to see photos of him and that made me want to post more photos. So here you go!

Andrew Turned One Yesterday!

I didn't get to see him on his first birthday. Luckily, the kids put him on the computer for me after his birthday party.

But still - I would have rather watched him play and mess with his cake.

Is there a reason I live in Tucson and he in Phoenix?