CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to me!
I paid off my car!

Hell?

Last summer I read a book called "Lovely Bones" It is a sad/thought provoking book about a girl who was murdered. She is in heaven watching her friends and family deal with her death. Heaven is described as a place that each of us create. Everyone's heaven is their happiest place. So one persons heaven is a family cabin while another's is an island. You get the point. I thought that was such in interesting idea .....

At the end of my Thanksgiving break I was flying home from North Carolina when we had to divert our flight to Omaha Nebraska due to a medical emergency. As we sat on the runway waiting for a new oxygen tank (apparently very hard to find in Nebraska seeing as it took almost two hours to get us back in the air) I thought ... this is my HELL! Stuck on an grounded airplane in Nebraska with a screaming baby behind me and a man saying for the 100th time, "why do we need an oxygen tank, we don't need no oxygen tank, lets just go without the oxygen tank, who cares about the oxygen tank." My iPod battery dying and no book to read (I had finished the one I was reading as we landed). A four hour flight turning into a six hour flight! I discovered that day what MY hell would be. I am going to work REAL hard on NOT going there!

Happy Thanksgiving!

my nephew Tanner

Wishing all of you a very
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

As my sister-in-law, Lisa and I were setting the table (not at my mom's house) we realized how much stuff we don't have. Lisa at least has cloth napkins. That's more than I can say! We did our best to set a Carole worthy table. I even made a flower arrangement. I think she would be proud.
Here in North Carolina it looks like Thanksgiving, it smells like Thanksgiving, but 75 degrees and humid does not feel like Thanksgiving! None the less we are enjoying our day and keeping our fingers crossed that the turkey turns out. If not ... we have three pies to tie us over.
I hope everyone enjoys their day and remembers all the many blessings each of us has!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

I am off to North Carolina this afternoon to spend Thanksgiving with my brother Josh and his wife Lisa. Who are we kidding ... I am going to see my nephew Tanner! :) Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

What do you all think of the look? Too much? There is a link to the page where I found these backgrounds at the top of my page. Seriously ... what do you think?

It is all worth it ....

Being a teacher is a pretty thankless job. You deal with a lot of crap. Rude students, ruder parents .... but every now and then you have a moment that makes it all worth it. I received an email this week from a student I had a couple years ago. She is now in London on a study abroad. In her email she said, "Thank you for teaching me to love art and thank you for being so great!!!!"

One line is all it takes to make it all worth it! To know that you have influenced a student, that you have inspired a student makes all the bad days and all the crap you put up with worth it. I look back on my own education and I think of the teachers that influenced/inspired me. I never said thank you. Knowing how much it means I wish I would have.

Gifts are also very appreciated! :)

Something new???

I know I need a new post (many of you have commented on how you are sick of the Bronco's) .... I just don't really have one in mind right now. Things have been crazy and hectic with not a lot to show for it. On top of it all I have had a headache for over a month now. Yes, you heard me right, a month! So thinking and being creative hasn't really been an option. I will work on coming up with something soon. So stay tuned. If any of you have any magic headache solutions ... pass them along. I am willing to try just about anything at this point. :)

Go Broncos!

I don't know how many of you know that I am a big Denver Broncos fan. I know! You would never have taken me as a sports person. The truth is ... I'm not really. Only when it comes to the Broncos. How? Well for starters, my uncle Lou played for the Broncos back in the 70's. So all growing up I cheered for the Broncos. When they went to the super bowl we had big parties at uncles Lou's house. So if I ever had to pick a team my obvious pick was the Broncos. And then a few years ago I dated (insert big eye roll with a little shake of the head here. Ha ha ... it's ok ... I do it to) a guy from Denver who was a big fan. So that got me into watching the games regularly and actually knowing a little about the team. To every one's surprise when the love for this boy faded ... my love for the Broncos did not! I truly look forward to Sunday's when I can curl up on the couch and watch my game. Sports is so much more fun to watch when you have a team! But here is the thing ... we totally SUCK this year! We got spanked last night. I am not losing hope just yet .. but come on. It is very hard to be a super fan when your team sucks! I don't know how long I can keep it up. So come on Broncos! Step it up!