The best toy a crafter can have....so far at least.

So there is the video and below is the picture. I hope you enjoy both!

I should be writing my lesson plans but.....it can wait.

So I haven't blogged in a while....or so it just seems like a while. Things are going ok. I've had some ups and downs. That happens everywhere though. The end of the first nine weeks is approaching and I need to set some deadlines for my students but that's not why I am here today!

I went to the zoo this weekend in Monroe, Louisiana and thought it might be fun to put some pictures up. Yes, for those that want to ponder, I was on a date. He's really great so far. Anyways, here's some of the animals we saw at the zoo.

Forgive the bad quality of pictures...I forgot to bring a camera.

This bear needed a friend. He followed us to the other opening in the exhibit and then back here again.

A peacock roaming to the armadillo exhibit.....because seeing them on the side of the road isn't enough. lol

We went on the boat ride to end the zoo trip. You can't see it because I used my cell as a camera but there is a spider monkey in the trees. This peeked the curiosity of a little boy who asked is webs flew out of it's hands.

About this time, one half of the boat began to mention the points on the buck that you can't really see clearly in this picture!

Hope you enjoy some of the pics!!!

Peace!

Isaac....and I'm not talking about a friend!

So I'm here for a short little post that I have to make some scans for my 6th grade choir kids tomorrow. But first I must say that I had 2 good choir classes with my 7th & 8th graders!!! They are finally settling into the schedule that I want them to and also learning how to deal with me!! lol.

Anyways, once I got home I saw the mess that the rain and wind caused in my yard. It's not bad BUT one huge tree limb has the potential to end up in my bedroom window so cross your fingers it doesn't happen!!!!

Here's my pics from my little amount of storm damage thus far.

Water building up but not really bad.

Some dinky limbs and the water in my neighbor's yard.

The tree limb that has some nasty potential please think happy thoughts about this tree. I really don't want it in my bedroom!

Hey, you finally get to see my backyard!!!! Just a little ponding in the back but again not that bad.

Off to scanning and then some grading!!!!

Peace y'all!!!

Taking it all in!

So tonight is a rare night that I am not doing school stuff at home. I busted my butt and worked like crazy on Sunday to do all of my preparations for this week. I wasn't a fan of every night being a late night at school or on the computer. Well I am taking things a week at a time and learning alot! It's no joke when I say that I learn something that does and doesn't work every day. Challenges are good though!

Now to show you my second home! Here are some pics of my classroom. I'm sad to say that I haven't knitted much so I don't have pic of projects as of lately but hopefully that will change soon. I did score a nice project at Hobby Lobby in Louisiana two weekends ago thought. Best part.....it was on clearance. Anyways, like I said here are some pics of my classroom!

 My office....and my mess that I need to organize this weekend.

One of the neat little pictures that I got from a vendorish mall place in Crossett.

Time stands still in my office. Why? Because even with batteries this clock works only when it wants to.

View from above in the choir seats.

Looking at the front of the room.

View from my office.

Well, I'm off to relax for the evening even though I feel like I should be doing more!

Peace y'all!



Random ramblings from me

So the forever long amounts of Professional Development are almost done for me. As you can tell by the lackluster amount of blogs happening, I've been pretty busy. I've met  and hung out with some new friends, gone to the rodeo, irritated my wrist and worked like crazy in my room! I've been working really hard this year in my classroom. Never like before though. I'm being resourceful and using materials that I own instead of buying new posters and such. I did take pictures of my room earlier last week but I've done some more stuff to it since so you don't get the treat of looking at my classroom just yet.

The room is almost done except for a few little things now I've got to work on the real work....lessons and figuring things out. I'm excited to have a full day in the room tomorrow to square away my syllabus and get my tentative choir schedules in place.

Oh and I can totally use a smartboard now! Yes, that is the highlight of my week. Don't hate on it! lol

I finally went to the thrift-ish mall that we have hear. I'm gonna pick up a night stand for $10 and then stain it to match my other bedroom furniture.

Well this whole waking up early in the morning is killing me. I gotta get used to it again but at least I don't have to set up a slew of pianos in the mornings this year!!!

I think I've rambled on enough for now. Have a good day!!!

Monday, fun day!!!

Video Attempt #1

Can't sleep so here's a post!

So per what I said in an earlier blog and a request by a friend, I'm gonna tell you about my little town. It's bigger than Whitesburg but not much really. I'm a little over an hour from Greenville, MS and close to supposedly 9 miles from Louisiana. I've haven't checked the last one out yet. Maybe next week! Well, there are a few little parks here and there throughout town and even a small zoo that is free the public. I don't have pictures of those just yet! Basically it's your average small town!

The main employer here is Georgia Pacific. I'm told it's a paper mill. The are certain parts of the day that you can really smell the factory and I'm even a couple miles outside of town but I'll get used to it. The coal trucks I used to see on the road have now been replaced with logging trucks. Although, I've only seen a few while driving around town but I know they come here.

Farming and rodeos are big here also. There's a big rodeo here in about two weeks so I look forward to checking it out and posting about it. Many of you may be thinking me going to a rodeo might be strange! As a young child on the family outing to PA I remember going to some rodeos when my cousins showed horses so I'm excited to check it out. Maybe I'll find me a cowboy! Ha!!!!!

Farmland. You guys know that I like to grow things so you might guess that I like farms as well. My uncle joked that when I moved here I'd be moving with chicken farmers. I've only seen one chicken farm so far! My county has cotton, corn and I think soybean as the three most produced crops. The day that I came here I was treated with a little surprise while driving. What's that surprise? I got to see the planes that spray the fields in close up action. I even squinted as I saw one dart close to a car on the road. No worries though. I wish I could have gotten a picture of that but failed on that one. Darn paying attention while driving!

Ashley county has it's fair share of farms from what I've seen but it also gets very forest like the closer to town that you get. The trees are so tall in spots and gorgeous. There is one spot in particular that I find breathtaking and I find a picture I'll post it.

Last but not least, I did travel a little going towards El Dorado, Arkansas. Most of my other town travels have been in Monticello, which is about 45 minutes north of me. It's a small college town. There is a branch of University of Arkansas there. Back to the trip towards El Dorado though. The goal was just to drive around and not really go anywhere. I did however find out that I'm only about 10 minutes from a national wildlife refuge. It's pretty and I have no pictures....yet. I still have time before school starts!

Enjoy the pictures from my travels!

The best decorated hotel room in Jackson, TN!

Remember when I said I was tired from driving? It wasn't even daylight when I started out on my second day of driving towards Arkansas.

Yes, I'm generally amused that I passes signs that talk about Hollywood in Mississippi.

To me, this is about the only thing exciting about Tunica. I didn't even get to go in because it wasn't open when I drove past the last time! Oh well, I thought the building was cool!

 I'm not much of an architectural buff but I do like admiring bridges. I think that the bridge that crosses into Arkansas is gorgeous!

Another shot of the bridge as I cross over the Mississippi River.

Corn field....one of the few that wasn't literally golden from heat.

Potentially a soybean field. Sorry it's blurry.

Bins.

Cotton field (I think) and forest in the back.

I'm pretty certain this was taken in Mississippi but I couldn't resist because it's a John Deere. P.S. My family only uses John Deere equipment on the farm.

Pictures don't do this spot justice! This is the little area coming from Monticello, AR that is right outside of Crossett. The final fact of the night is that apparently Crossett is the forest capital of the south....or so a sign says!

Peace!

Trust me....this isn't exciting!

So here goes with another little update on how I'm doing. I am officially from Arkansas now. Tomorrow I really make it official when I get my license plate. I've got some running around to do also. Nothing big. Another trip to Walmart to pick up some little things. Yuck! I've got to get my TB test looked at and then go to the school to do odds and ends.

Anyways, I thought I'd show you all the progress of my house. It actually looks better than the pictures. The only room that's bad is my bedroom, hence the picture with empty closets.

My soon to be office room.

Those boxes don't even belong there! I think you can tell what this room will be.

Bedroom needs a lot of work. No, mom I didn't make my bed either.

Bad lighting but kitchen is complete!

My new favorite hiding spot for my knitting supplies.

One of the two new washrags that I made!

Another update: I've gotten my new license plate and tags so I guess it's really official now! My living room is practically set up but has some stuff to get moved out before I take a picture, I've got a new bread recipe that I'm trying out later on so I'll let you know if it's yummy!

Peace!

Washateria

So here I am! I've been here in Arkansas for a few nights. I'm recovering from a little funk that I managed to pick up either from cleaning material or from the actual cleaning process. My new place is slowly but surely getting put together.



So it went from this.................................................................to this.

You may see that there are still boxes in the middle but notice the books and dvds put away.

Here's the kitchen in all it's messy glory. I'm happy to say that after years of not having a toaster, I've used one twice now. What was I thinking about not getting one. Thanks mom!!!

Here is a project that I am working on for the living room. Since I got rid of some furniture I'm now hanging up some pictures. Don't worry Whitesburg folks, I'm buying some new frame to put you all up there too! It'll be a project that I am working on for a while. I'll put up a better picture later.

Oh and thanks to the tenants before me for leaving so many nails in the wall....they are coming in handy.

This is random but it's my first homemade meal in my new place. I made some soup since I wasn't feeling well.

I'm officially stepping up the par in earning credit now through these bad boys. Now I have to get some laundry detergent. I also learned a new word today. What was that? Washateria. The man that installed these told me about the closest Washateria....ahem laundry mat. I guess it's the new "pop" that I have to get used to.

So I had plans of trying to display my basil longer but the Arkansas heat had other plans. I snipped the majority of it today but have another small round still growing. Dang heat! My plants may have to go under my carport. But anyways these last two pictures show that I am making this place home by drying some herbs. My drying dill (which was hanging off the picture) got blasted with some bug spray yesterday so I had to let it go. Sad day.

Well, I just wanted to give you all an update. I'll be putting pictures up of the terrain and about farming later!