Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Revolution #38

Today marks the completion of my 38th trip around the sun.

I'm listening to music as I make butterscotch pudding. I have two friends who live within a mile of me who have the same birthday and we are celebrating together this afternoon.  The pudding is for us/them. Tomorrow is George's birthday. Saturday was Lucy's birthday. It's birthday week!

On my 38th birthday:
  • I have blonde hair that goes down to my chin. My bangs are sideswept and it was cut with a razor which means that the ends are pointy instead of blunt. I am growing it out from the super short cut I got last year because I don't like going to get a haircut every 4 weeks but I also don't want a mullet.
  • I have started exploring "wrinkle maintenance" options. Creams? Lasers? Injections? So many choices . . . 
  • I am still 5'6" and I'm still carrying around the 15  okay, twenty pounds I put on 5 years ago. I don't really know where it came from, but I do know that I enjoy eating a few cookies here and there. Even if it means that I look like I enjoy a few cookies.
  • I still can't figure out my "style." Every once in awhile I catch a glimpse of my outfit in a public mirror and react with an audible "ugh" and want to crawl into a cave and be naked for the rest of my life so that I don't have to dress myself. I bought myself a new pair of jeans for my birthday. Maybe they will turn my fashion world around. Here's hoping!
  • I know what kind of furniture I like and how I want my house to look, but I am dissatisfied with my execution. None of my furniture reflects my personal taste and everywhere I look is clutter! Clutter everywhere! Even when I clean it all up. Sometimes I think that clutter comes with 5 kids and I should accept it, but then I go to my friends' homes and they somehow don't have the clutter. What am I missing?
  • I want to paint every wall in my house.
  • I love to cook and since I'm not in school right now I cook an average of 4 to 5 times per week. Meals are fairly predictable and simple but sometimes I get a hankering for something and go "all out." The last time I went "all out" I made Ina Garten's nicoise salad.  Our usual weekly menu includes italian beef sandwiches, tacos, grilled cheese sandwiches, spaghetti, and grilled chicken. 
  • I'm a taxi driver and a cheerleader for 5 of the most interesting, funny, genuinely lovely people I know.
  • I'm still making new friends and strive to maintain my old friendships. I have a few friends that I've known since I was a baby and my newest friend is someone I met in a choir that I was recently involved with.
  • I make my bed about 4 times per week.
  • I rarely clear off my bathroom counter. My makeup is always out. Hello, clutter!
  • I attend church most Sundays and more than half the time it is without Robert. We have 9:00 church and I am usually fixing someone's hair and putting on somebody's shoes in the benches once we get there. But we are there!
  • I feel like I still have adventures to experience, but I feel like the adventures I want to have are more of a younger person's game. What are the appropriate adventures for someone hurtling toward 40?
  • My life is not what I expected it to be, but it is so much better than I deserve. I live in a beautiful corner of the world, I know interesting and amazing people, and I have a healthy, strong body. I'm not worried about how I'm going to feed my kids or what my husband is up to when he's not with me. In fact, I have a husband who can't wait for his work day to end so that he can come home to me. I get to see a desert sunset every evening and listen to the frogs croaking after dark. 
Happy Birthday to me!

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Items on my Amazon Wishlist

 A Sampling in the Order of Most Recently Added:


  1. Several books about strategies for teaching content categories to students who are English Language Learners. 
  2. Texts on developing early literacy.
  3. Text on assessing early reading.
  4. Rubick's cube. Jack's record is a minute thirty, he thinks he could improve with a different cube.
  5. Tons of children's books. Eve Bunting makes several appearances. I have a weakness for children's literature.
  6. A bottle of self tanner (Tan in a Can) 
  7. Bright knee socks for a ten year old girl
  8. Japanese noodle bowls. For serving Ramen
  9. Bento boxes
  10. A few Ann Patchett titles
  11. Shoes for a two year old girl
  12. Miniature desktop catapult

Due to recent events outside of my control, I won't be needing items 1 through 3 in the foreseeable future. I can't give up the dream of beautiful brown skin (see item #6), even though I am perpetually pale and freckled. The pimples seem to have subsided, though. Item #7, paired with a skirt, is Stella's signature fashion style.

etc. etc.

I feel heartbroken about the recent events outside of my control. I love school, and I am a great student. I am going to be a dynamite teacher.

someday.