Molly

A lot of people don't get to appreciate the real Molly. Most of the time, she hides when "strangers" are around. However, that scaredy cat is not the super cuddly, friendly pet that I know. If you are one of the few people that Molly has chosen as a part of her inner circle - she is hilarious. She runs to the door when you come home, follows you around the house, gets a really pink nose when she is happy, and loves to be cuddly (okay and a little crazy, too). It's amazing how this little bugger makes me so happy! I think we have the best cat in the world.

China Press = Check!

When we moved into our house one of the things I fell in love with was the china press in the dining room. If you are unfamiliar with this term, it is basically a shallow "closet" that is used like a china cabinet. Well, the closet was a mess, the shelves were pieces of junk and not at good heights. Basically, my dad came down (being the amazing handyman that he is) - ripped everything out, and started all over. This project has been two years in the making, and I'm so happy with the way it turned out. Tonight I decided to get out all of the china boxes and arrange everything. Doing this made me realize how glad I am that we registered for this china. So many people told us that we would never use it and it is outdated, however, I completely disagreed and had to have it! Granted, we haven't used our china since we moved in, but, amazingly it has been used several times. I have pulled it out for anniversary dinners, job celebrations, family dinners, and even birthday cake. I am a strong believer in making things into celebrations - and sometimes all it takes to show someone that you think they are special is blowing off the dust on a fancy plate or glass. So cheers to fancy things in a sometimes all too casual world!

Thanksgiving

This time of year always makes me nostalgic. Thinking about all of the family traditions I have grown up with as well as those I have grown to love in the last few years makes me feel a part of something special. While driving back from the Thanksgiving holiday with the Knapp's, I had a lot of time to think about some of these traditions.

It is comforting to know that some things have been the same for years and years. At my house, we always eat at E's, we have to have place cards there are so many of us, we will eat homemade rolls, dumplings, & pumpkin chiffon pie, we will play cards until midnight, and we will have enough leftovers so that Thanksgiving is a 3 day affair. At the Knapp's we will eat monkey bread, drink a little champagne and even more wine, have a beautiful, elegant dinner, and eat apple pie for dessert.

It is fun to see what new traditions are replacing old traditions, like running the Turkey Trot instead of watching the Macy's Parade.

And it is a blessing to know that while some traditions may come and go (i.e. frying a turkey on the driveway, while drinking beer and playing football), the heart of every holiday isn't in what you do or where you go. It's in the people that are there growing up and evolving alongside of each other so that each person's life is intertwined in this crazy, beautiful thing we call family.

I Have Brown Hair...

For the past four years I have been a blonde. This era has come to an end (for now). I have been psyching myself up for about 2 months now in order to have the courage to go brunette! It is definitely a big change - I think more for me than anyone else. I'm still not all the way used to it, but then again, I don't stare at myself in the mirror all day long either. I'm definitely happy with the way it turned out - my hair stylist did a great job. It is kind of fun to do something completely different, I feel like a new person! In fact, I ran into several people this weekend and I got one of two reactions: Reaction #1 - WOW!! I love the new hair - it looks great! Reaction #2 - casual glance up at new hair and then business as usual. I'm getting a kick out of it, really. It's kind of interesting how changing one thing about yourself can make such a big impact. Some of the awesome things I've noticed about life on the brunette side are:

1. People take you more seriously.
2. I won't have to worry if my roots are showing!
3. My hair doesn't look so greasy at the end of the day.
4. My blue eyes pop out more.
5. Certain colors don't wash me out as much.
6. I feel stronger and sassier!

Disclaimer: I am a Gemini, so the future of my hair is still up in the air. Until then, rock on fellow brownies!

Girls on the Run

This morning Heather, Emily, and I woke up early and braved the 25 degree weather to support on of the coolest programs around. The school where I work has a "Girls on the Run" team. The girls "train" for months learning about running and staying fit while also learning important lessons about self confidence and the dangers of peer pressure. We went to the "Celebration 5K" to show our support of these amazing girls. I was so proud of ALL of the girls there. It was inspiring to see all sorts of families, moms and dads running with their girls, there to encourage them along the 3.1 mile race. It just made you smile inside to know how awesome these 3rd, 4th, & 5th graders were going to feel once they were finished. Because what they accomplished today is more than just a run on a pretty challenging course - it is a step in the right direction for building strong, confident girls who will one day become strong, confident women.

Marley & Me

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Maybe it's because I don't have a dog and I wanted to life vicariously or maybe it's because I am a pet owner in my own right, but I LOVED this book. It was such a great glimpse into life, where it takes us, and the people and pets that help us get there. A must read for anyone with a heart. HA! You'll laugh, you'll cry, and best of all, you will fall in love with the world's "worst" dog.


View all my reviews.

Insane in the Membrane

If you are a teacher, you will be well aware of the many and vast excuses we use on a daily basis to explain the erratic behavior of our students. Here are a few of my current favorites:

1. "There is going to be a full moon soon." Usually said about twice a month.
2. "They are still hyper from all of that Halloween Candy." Mentioned in mid-November.
3. "Oh, it is going to rain." Of course it will... and to piggyback "Because of all this rain, they haven't been out to recess in days."
4. "Christmas is coming!" Yes, in about 5 weeks people.
5. "They just need a day off." Right after Election Day & Early Release Day.
6. "Could you believe how hyper they were about a few snowflakes?" Yes, and so were you when you were under 10...in fact, I still get excited.

What this boils down do is this simple fact....kids will be crazy during all changes in weather, around any vacation days, during any phase of the moon, and in any month in which there is a holiday. So, can we please just accept the fact that kids are pretty bonkers no matter what. Let's face it, we were all kiddies once and yes, we were just as crazy. (Some of us still are...but those people will remain nameless!)

Charlie Browniest

Lately I have been so grumpy that I feel like a total Charlie Brown. I guess it is the fact that this school year has been the worst ever, because I know I am a generally positive and happy person. But for some reason, this unhappiness at work is seeping over and causing me to reevaluate other parts of my life as well. Part of me likes being in tune with what is going on, but at times it is a real burden. For example, I don't mean to be overly critical, but is it to much to ask people to do what they say they are going to do? What happened to the days of making a commitment and sticking with it? I know that things come up unexpectedly, but part of me thinks the world we live in makes it so much easier to back out of things that people shouldn't through a lame text or email. It is hard sometimes to say no to someone or something, but personally, I would rather someone tell me no up front than to make me clear my schedule and then find out last minute that it isn't going to work out! GRRR! Now don't get me wrong, I am not totally innocent from doing this. I think the difference is in the quantity of backing out. If a person continues to back out over and over how many chances do you give them before you stop extending invitations. It is just really draining to deal with - making me feel like, you know my number call me when you figure yourself out. Until then, I'm taking a vacation from organizing anything.

Home Ownership

So, this weekend we were planning on relaxing and spending time with friends. However, that all changed Saturday morning. I woke up to the sound of pouring down rain. It was kind of strange being that it was the kind of rain that one would find in a spring thunderstorm. I was pretty bummed because I wanted to go out for a run (I hadn't since returning from our trip) but I decided to make the most of it and start reading a new book. I was really getting into Marley and Me when Emily told me there was a puddle forming in our dining room. UGH! I knew we had a small leak, it had shown it's ugly head a few months earlier, but it had never started dripping from the ceiling. So, I wiped up the puddle and decided there was nothing we could do about it until Monday. Then, I went down to the basement to start going through the assortment of random boxes that have been accumulating down there. That's when I saw the second leak! This wasn't funny or cute anymore. I mean, buying an older house (ours is circa 1948) comes with its fair share of problems, but you are never happy about them when they come up. When we bought it over 2 years ago, we knew what we were getting into. We knew we had a lot of work to do and often joked that we hoped we didn't end up like Tom Hanks in The Money Pit. In fact, in the beginning it was kind of fun - like,

oh, what a great memory this will be ripping up carpet and putting in flooring or this is a great time to learn about replacing the wax ring under a toilet or what an adventure trying to fit both of our clothes in a ridiculously small closet!

Now it just feels exhausting and so...groan...adult. When did our weekends become the setting for Tim Allen's Home Improvement? To make matters worse, as soon as we exposed the pipes in question the leak stopped, just like that! How convenient right? So now, not only do we not know where the leak is coming from, we also have to now recover the pipes. But, all in all, like the bad dog, Marley, in the book I'm reading - this is our home and I hate to admit it, but I love it in spite of itself.

Chicago

So, let's be clear here. The Windy City (which is in fact, very windy) is often referred to as the Second City. New York, of course, holding the blue ribbon. However, in my opinion this place is second to none. Arriving here I had no expectations. I didn't know what the vibe would be, or really, what the city even looked like. I had seen the odd building here and there, and of course, knew about the bean, but other than that Chicago was a mystery. Walking out of Union Station, I had a flashback to my first time in Manhattan. I loved Manhattan - the honking cabs, blaring lights, hundreds of people moving around everywhere - it all seemed so important! I felt it was the best place on Earth, and I was happy to be a part of it, if only from the outside. I loved it so much that I went back many more times, each time exploring a different part. But, now that I have been to Chicago, I have realized that my love affair with New York might be coming to an end! It is hard to admit this, but there's a new sheriff in town. This city, is really like no other. From the El train circling the loop creating a low rumbling every few minutes to the views of the Chicago river and Lake Michigan to the many and diverse neighborhoods everwhere, there is no finer American City than this. Sure, nothing can beat the Manhattan skyline, but on all other points of contention, Chicago in my mind takes the cake. Plenty of shopping, amazing restaurants, museums and theatres, and most importantly city-dwellers that don't take themselves too seriously. What can be better than a big city with a friendly heart!