target practice on Christmas eve...new tradition? i could go for that

today i woke up and mom made waffles and bacon-yum! it was farmer's bacon, so it was the real deal-nice and salty. again, if you didn't hear me the first time YUM!

yesterday we left dallas at 7:05, made 4 stops and arrived in buffalo at about 2:30, and pretty much dropped the dogs off and went to their pastor's house for a Christmas open house. there were several people whom i had met during the summer, so i at least had some recognizable faces. when i was getting something to drink, one of the younger men there said, "you look like a doctor or something...you just have that...intelligent look about you." for a split second, i thought maybe there was some hidden candid camera in the kitchen.  i explained that no, i was a teacher, but it was good that i had an intelligent look so that the students would find me credible! (i was wearing jeans and a fleece...i guess that's the new intelligent look, in case you fashion folk were wondering!)

i love holiday get togethers that involve tables loaded with cheese, crackers, sausage, cookies, and all sorts of other goodies! festive, i tell ya!

when we got home, i was tired, but i was able to finish the remainder of my Christmas reading-the hobbit.

this morning after breakfast, i finished a couple more Christmas cards (which of course will arrive fashionably late), then mom and i went to walmart in springfield-because the little one here in buffalo is a little one here in buffalo. (it may have sounded redundant, but purposeful).

i especially wanted to find a game i had heard about on talk radio-random, but it sounded like a winner-we shall see!

supposed to be a riot...

 and i may have stopped by the seasonal aisle for kisses, but guess what. Christmas has not even passed and already, they are stocking the valentines candy!! boo.

on the way home, we came around the long way because i wanted to get  a picture of the sign:

if you recall, i wrote about this place over the summer when i came to visit the first time....

such a unique little place, but before we drove through all 5 seconds of it, we went through bolivar, which is the other town it is halfway between to mail my cards...we found a post office, but we couldn't find the way to get to the drop boxes-which were actually just a hole in the side of the building with slots...there was only one way in-it was on the back side of the post office, and didn't have any signs that said post office, weird...but i got them sent none-the-less.

when we got home, i had mentioned to my dad that i was interested in purchasing a gun, but i didn't know what i wanted, so he called his buddy to see if he could give me a quick lesson on guns and let me shoot one out at his place. so we went over to their place-out in the country and around the hills in mo. and he had everything out and lined up. i mean to tell ya, i got my fill of handguns today! i found the one i want, and i am actually a pretty good shot (although i was aiming at a big burn barrel, and i wasn't that far away from it). he and his son-in-law were really good about explaining to me all about the different types, and i think i have decided on a revolver-type.

then on the way home, we were talking about the difference between a shotgun and a rifle, and dad told me he had an antique rifle that was passed down from his grandfather. when we got home, he pulled it out and let me check it out. it seemed rather small like a toy cap gun. so i saw a small quart sized paint can and we set it up and i shot twice and hit it twice. yes, i am a markswoman...just call me sniper jrob!

the first shot went through the front, ricocheted through the back at an angle and went through the dryboard behind.

the second shot went through and knocked the can right off the barrel and the dryboard fell into the burn barrel which was burning stuff at the time, so we let it burn.

and then i was done, and decided that i really enjoy shooting. hmm.

it's been a productive Christmas eve day.
julie

no grinding for that one, he's jerky...and then i went to the hobbit

i wish i'd spent more time yesterday cleaning up around the place...i'd better not procrastinate too much today-this is the season for guests! i did get some reading done yesterday from my class. i shouldn't read so far in advance, because inevitably, i will forget most of what i read and will have to re-read before our next session!

then i took the boys in to get their nails clipped. the lady got me to upgrade to a 'grind,' which is like a filing. well...when i came back for them, she nodded her head to chaco and said, "no grind." apparently he was jerky...not a jerk, just a little skittish. bruno did fine. neither of these revelations surprised me.

and on the way out, i found it necessary to get a small early Christmas gift for them

this should last as evening treats until we go to mom and dad's...i bust them out when bruno starts barking at neighbor dogs.

i also went to see the hobbit this weekend...i know thanksgiving is over, but i am thankful for jrr tolkien, peter jackson and the hobbit! love-ed it! you have to know that when i was a youngster, we had a picture-story book of the hobbit, so i have loved it for a long time! then when i was in college, i took a jrr tolkien/ c.s. lewis class as my capstone (i took two capstones because i could-the second was in art and architecture of the Christian church-which was really interesting; but alas, that is another story altogether).

i loved the way they started the story and tied in the lord of the rings-very well done! note to self...never have dwarves over for fancy dinners. i knew it was a two part movie, but i had forgotten about that, and was disappointed when it ended. now i am going to have to go back and reread the book-Christmas break. of course, let's be real, part of the allure of middle earth is the majestic scenery! oh to live in rivendale!!


mountains and waterfalls are magical to me! i've also always been intrigued by angel falls. i was jealous of the old man and the little boy in the movie UP. perhaps it stems back to when i was young and we went on camping trips with mom and dad-one summer while we were camping, we saw a few neat waterfalls. there were also a couple sets of waterfalls in the mountains that i got to see when i lived in HONDURAS. enthralled.

and i know everyone was wondering what i was dreaming about last night...well, i remember being in china. i have no desire to visit china...ever. it must've been the story about chinatown and the earthquake of 1906.

we heard flipped classrooms in our policy class, and i had never really heard about it before, so i was looking into the concept yesterday, and it was very appealing to me.  i need to see how many of my students have access to the internet at home, and perhaps try it out with social studies or science. i may need to try to see if there are any grants out there through which i might be able to get some cheap tablets that kids can take home to use-they just need to be able to get internet access to watch videos. i think it would be more valuable to do it for reading and writing, but i need to take baby steps. there is another interesting site that talks about it here.

well, it's time to stop procrastinating and enjoy the remainder of the weekend!
julie

pirouette creme filled rolled wafers made me get up early this morning.

Christmas bulletin board- done!

last night while i was sitting here at home, writing letters, i had a strange craving for rolled wafers..so much so, that i was envisioning myself at school sipping coffee with a creme filled pirouette...so i woke early and stopped at walmart hoping that they sold there...i was so pleased to finally find a canister this morning before school! and as i was walking out, i figured i'd ask to see if they sold stamps, and guess what, they do!

hmm..so, i have been struggling with my room set-up at school, and i think i have an idea that will make it work much better.so, now i have to set it up and do a little work...some sanding, some drilling, etc...i'm actually quite excited about it.

i was thrilled to get the a-z readers out of my room! halfway through the year, and things are starting to come together...

so tomorrow the kids will have a reading assessment to see where they are. fingers crossed!

i know i mentioned the education reform fellows program-getting excited about that. today the idea was brought up that perhaps possibly since i got into this part of the program, they might consider grandfathering me into the program...i'll have to figure out how to endear them to me! smile. anything to not have to go through that whole process again of the interviewing! when i know more, you'll know more.

and the most exciting thing going on right now is that i just found out that one of my best friends from high school in HONDURAS is coming up to the dallas area to visit her sister over Christmas, so i will get to see her and catch up! it has been over 20 years since we've gotten to hang out and have face-time-i cannot wait! not only that, but i will get to see her parents and hopefully meet her boys as well!! (she has real human boys). so i couldn't be more tickled about this holiday season!

and hopefully b-mayes will be able to come to town or we'll be able to stop up there!

AND the hobbit is coming out!! i have been looking forward to this since the first rumors!!

the holidays are sneakin' up on us!
julie

so hot my car has to wear shades...

another boring day...it's saturday, and i need to go to the big store, but i decided i would wait until monday when people are at work. what is the big store? it's where adults go to buy major appliances...i need to look at some washers and driers. i've been renting them from my complex and they're kinda terrible. i have way over paid by renting them all this time. anyhoo...i need to look into that! (any suggestions of where to purchase that might have installment plans?)

i took the boys for a walk and we stopped at the office, and i had to ask jessica some questions, but i didn't get all of the answers i needed, because there were some other residents coming in and i didn't want to keep her, so i'll go back tomorrow-important things to finish discussing. they'll be looking for leasing agents i think, because one of the gals (whom i may have mentioned...a little on the snooty side) is no longer here.

i am thrilled that one of my friends (a former kamper) is moving to dallas, and i now have someone who will go to the midnight showing of the hobbit in december!!! woohoo!! i am beyond excited! i mean, i would've gone alone, we all know that wouldn't stop me, but it's just more fun with a friend to discuss points afterward!

tonight i had to stop at burger house because i was craving it...it was so hot i had to put the shades up while i waited in line! heat heat please go away...

perhaps i should invest in getting the windows tinted

 and here's another little blast from the past                                                                                   

feathered hair was all the rave...this was in our first apartment in costa rica.

up on the wall you can see a partial of an art project-a dancing senorita. that guitar-still have it. in fact, my parents had me bring it back to dallas with me this trip. and believe it or not, it's still in tune! i got it in 83 and it's as good now as it was then! this was the apartment where i felt my first earthquake tremor-things actually fell off the shelves! that was 5th grade. so many great memories about costa rica. 

in our training, the trainer mentioned an insect project from when she was in 5th grade, which really made me remember ms. gonzalez, my 5th grade teacher and the same project! only, being in costa rica, it was easy to find crazy looking insects-i had quite the variety from walking sticks to leaf bugs, beetles, etc. it was pretty amazing! good thing peta wasn't around down there!

i got to see my 

first smoking volcano

first inactive volcano

first parrots

first ox cart

first pops ice cream

first 4-square game

first monkeys owned by civilians

first time someone stole something from mom (chicken from her purse-not sure if i told that story...it was on a crowded bus)

first candy with kahlua inside

favorite friend: amy porter. more about her another day.

friend i would randomly meet up with 5 or 6 years later: milagros castro. after i moved to HONDURAS, we had a basketball tournament in el salvador with international schools from various central american countries. i was the token gringa, and being such a novelty, everyone automatically thought i must be a star bball player-could be that my hair is so blonde they figured i must be related to larry bird...anyhoo, we were at a restaurant when a girl randomly walked up and said, "julie!" and then introduced herself as my old friend from costa rica. i don't recall whose team won the game when we played them. i tried to pretend like i had a great time in el salvador, but we stayed with random families, and the gal that i was staying with didn't seem very excited about having me there. so i was like bruno on that trip-pretended it was great fun, but basically i endured it. the fact is the best part about that trip was meeting up with milagros again and catching up.

julie

who keeps eel bones around the house, anyway? no one, that's who.

i don't know about you, but i am somewhat bothered by the best buy commercials-the lady competing with santa and being saucy about it...i feel sorry for santa. is that strange? there is just something about elderly people, and respect...especially santa. i realize it's a commercial. i realize that santa isn.....(tell your children to skip this part) isn't real. but still, maybe it's the underlying theme behind it. the commercialism and competition at the expense of another just to be a winner.

most people know that i am not a crazy-big-jewelry wearer, but i do sport the smaller beads and more practical necklaces. i found some bead jewelry that i actually like the looks of, AND not only that, but it goes to help aids in rowan. one of my friends from kanakuk kamp (where i used to work for many summers), her name is joy (appropriately) and she has a heart for missions-especially in africa. please check out the site here, you might find something that you like, and it will certainly go toward a worthy cause. you know how sometimes there are organizations you are leery of, well, i actually read joy's blog about her time there, and she has some pictures posted in which she is planting trees with the widows and girls there-i am humbled by her commitment to love and serve in rowan. go joy!

new topic. i just saw a drano commercial on t.v. that made me want to watch Lord of the Rings tonight...i guess you'd have to have seen the men with the battering ram. oh, and i am really kinda dying for the hobbit to hit the screens (the rumor is that the trailer will be before the tin tin movies...smile). also seen on t.v. today was charlie's angels, only it wasn't the original angels...so i didn't watch the entire thing (kinda like the duke cousins...just not the same). does anyone really miss the fashion of the 70's?

i would VOMIT if i went to this gym! (and not from over exerting myself)

i had to open the windows today because there was lingering smell of dehydrated onion-which is not good once you're done dehydrating it! well, that has caused bruno and chaco to do a whole lot of barking. so finally i said, "guys, that is not the holiday spirit, you really need to stop now." chaco turned around and said, "but mama, we're saying merry Christmas type things..." and turned to growl again at the slamming car doors below.

and the only thing that really sounded good for dinner tonight was chinese/japanese and homemade eel sauce...only i found out why one of the web sites said it is rarely made at home (because normally it is made by dipping the eel bones in while simmering the other ingredients.)..ixnay on the eel bonesay...so instead i added a hint of citrus. smile. love it! and instead of the usual asian delivery guy, there was a hispanic man, which struck me a little weird, because usually when i go to a chinese restaurant, there are only chinese people working there...keepin' it in the family. so i prepared my plate and whipped out my handy dandy personal chopsticks (made in china and brought back by a friend who went on a mission trip). i love pulling them out to use every once in awhile. they are SO superior to the cheapies that you have to break apart.

yes, as a matter of fact, they do have their own carrying case. deal wid it!

and the fortune cookie-will prove to be true.

i am hoping to do something unique and fun this weekend-it's all about creating new traditions, right?

so, one of the gifts i got this year at school was a twin set of coffee mugs for on-the-go. well, i had one awhile back, but the lid broke and then it got lost at summer school. well, every time i was about to get a new one at bed bath and beyond, i talked myself out of it for trying to be practical. so i had this other travel mug that had a sunken hole, and it spilled on me a couple of times, so maria decided to help me out! love it and use it all of the time!

and the great thing about a twin set is that they always know what the other is thinking!

i also got this great set of utensils (which have the super-power of not melting; they're like shadrach, meshach and abednego in the fiery furnace), which i again have not trouble finding use for (in fact, i used one of the spoons tonight to make my fake eel sauce without the eel)...

the mixing bowl is perfect too, because it pours-pancake batter!

 and a third gift which i have put to use already since being home this break for obvious reasons:

sometimes a kiss just makes everything better.

the 4th gift was the tree, and sweet stationery-which i am prone to use quickly.

tomorrow i will be doing some preparing for this weekend. yea! if anyone is in the dallas area, looking for something a little different to do on Christmas eve, let me know.

julie