It's here.....

The two ladies and no baby are not Halloween gals. We love fall, we do, but not adult Halloween. We hate to dress up and we usually find adults in costumes obnoxious, sorry Halloween lovers.

These broads over here are holiday season FANATICS! Halloween can't come and go soon enough. November 1st is monumental, the beginning of the holiday season! YES! Finally we can start counting down to Christmas. Our Christmas tree goes up before Thanksgiving usually, and the Christmas music starts today! We've heard many an outspoken person say, "you are ruining Christmas, you're too early what about Thanksgiving?" Blah blah blah! Thanksgiving has no music or rad decorations, plus 1 month is not long enough to adequately enjoy all that this season has to offer.

Perks of Christmas Celebrations Starting November 1st:

You are happier
You swear at people less
You are shopping for others instead of yourself like usual
You are more fun to be around
Everyone wants to hang out with you because you smell like pine and peppermint
You get to see your pet dressed in their festive outfits sooner
You feel more generous so you give homeless people money instead of the usual sneer
You get to wear your festive Christmas sweaters more than the average December celebrator
You get to watch Christmas movies twice instead of just once a season
The old bastard brings you more loot because you've done more with the season than most
You are finally able to devote time to choreographing a dance to Oh Come All Ye Faithful


It's the most wonderful time of the year, give yourself more time to enjoy it!
Trust me, you won't regret it!

Falling....

This school year has been rough so far.  This is the first year that I've thought 'I don't know how much longer I can do this job.' It has been hard to get back into the swing of things, especially when my class is less than ideal. Some years I have felt so fortunate to have the job I have: I have the opportunity to influence kids for the better, they are the perfect examples of innocence, they are kind and love without terms. I have been struggling to find those moments of gratitude this year.

As the seasons have slowly been changing from summer to fall I have been so aware of the beauty that comes with a new season. Fall is my favorite season and this year it couldn't have come at a better time. I have needed a pick-me-up and that is what this beautiful season has given me. With the mountains so close I decided that this fall I would spend more time in higher elevations where the air is cool and the colors are enveloping. I've wanted to escape the monotonous life I lead in the city and experience new things amongst the trees where clocks don't exist. Hike after hike after hike has helped provide me with a grateful heart and a contentment that is usually suffocated with worry and fear. By nature I am a worrier, I feel like I am rarely content, I am almost always concerned or anxious about something. Being in the mountains encircled by God's creations has been so liberating, it has brought me perspective that usually feels out of my reach. God knew what he was doing when he created this earth, what we would need and when we would need it. This year as I've struggled to find gratitude and joy in my job I've been fortunate enough to find it elsewhere...

in the miracle that is fall.

Birthday Boy

September 20, 1999 – Spending the evening getting Seth’s Birthday card and present ready. Sitting in my sister’s bedroom surrounded by American Dolls and flowered wallpaper a smile spreads across my face because I have a brilliant idea. His favorite song at the moment is “All-Star” by Smash Mouth. So I decide to make a tape-recording of the song playing over and over again. That way, he won’t have to rewind the tape as often.  He told me just the other day that he could listen to that song forever. Well here I am making his dreams come true. 

Waiting for the song to record, I dump my markers out on the floor, fold a blank paper in half and begin block-lettering ‘Happy Birthday Seth!’ in my best 3-D letters. I know I’m a horrific artist, but go ahead and draw a giant cake anyway. At this point we’re really into homemade cards as opposed to store-bought – they’re much more personal and we’re cheap.

The next day as the Birthday Boy opens my present his blue-grey eyes light up as he exclaims, “Hey! All-Star!” He looks up at me with that signature-dimpled smile and I know I nailed it.

September 21, 2012 – My alarm goes off at 6:20am as I make the slow ascent back to consciousness. Recognizing the tune coming from my radio while I float somewhere between asleep and awake. Thoughts and memories start to connect as my eyes flutter open and realize, “All-Star” by Smash Mouth is playing.

I roll over and smile. Happy Birthday, boy. I love you. 

Ostrich Pillow

Our pals Neil and Mike, who are discoverers of all things weird, e-mailed us this little tender mercy the other day and I will be forever grateful.

It is called the ostrich pillow and is supposed to produce unbelievable power naps. I can't imagine walking into someone's office and seeing this. You can't tell me that after pulling this off your head you're going to look normal.


God Bless America.... or wherever this was made.

Mixed Feelings

Fall is in the air everybody. I love Fall, it is my favorite season: the air is crisp, the mountains are gorgeous, and I can wear big sweaters again!  Fall also means back to work. I like starting the school year, getting back into my normal routine. It's weird how they tell you all the time that kids do better with a routine, well I have never grown out of that. I love my routine, probably too much. I am so much more productive when I get up early, go to work, go to the gym, and get to bed early. I'm happiest when I am productive. Well, I'm back to my routine and though it hasn't been easy to get back to the patience level needed to be a teacher of 7 year olds I'm slowly getting there.

On a lighter note a student in another class told me that my shirt was see-through today.  I had nothing to say back to him except, no it's not. He probably said it 5 times and I just ended up walking away. Was I just bullied by a 7 year old? I had to bite my tongue because I really wanted to say, "listen kid you can insult me when you learn how to read and cut your own fingernails." Clearly my patience needs work. But seriously, it shocks me how disrespectful and rude some kids are these days. Note to self: don't let my 7 year old kid pierce his ears and become a demon.

I do have some great news: one of my students has six toes on one foot and is very proud of it. I have yet to see them, but I will let you know the synopsis.

Cheers to 11 toes and not being bullied!

I'D CAP THAT!

So my gal pal Al told me about a certain app that adds its own captions to your pictures. If you download this app I have to warn you most of their captions are foul, like really foul but sometimes they nail it.

I wish I could post some of the other ones, but my mom would slit my throat. See me mom, keeping it classy! You're welcome!

Old photos

I have been scanning photos for my dad this summer. My grandma constantly had a camera in her hand, she didn't want to forget anything and tried to capture as much as she could with her camera. Well, as a result of her mad photog skills there are a zillion pictures scanned and yet to be scanned.

There is something about old photos. I'm not really sure what it is that is so appealing, but for whatever reason I am mesmorized by them. Take a looksy...

 I mean, is this real life? Cutest furrowed brow ever.

 Ocean City, MD Beach Baby Hal. So adorable.

 Pops worked construction on the DC temple.

 Pops on the bike. Gpa holding large dog.

 Hal age 17

 My grandparents eloped to Vegas with some other couples. This is their wedding day.

 Great Grandpa Abe was elected to congress. This was his first trip back to DC, fixing a flat tire.

 Redskins win!

 Beaver high basketball

 Cutest grandpa.

The best of everybody.