It's All About Perspective...and keeping things in perspective. So this last week off from scool, I actually got a glimpse of my floor though the bottom of Mt. StLaundry! I got to really cook for my family, instead of just throwing hamburgers and toasted cheese sandwiches at them, and I remembered how much I enjoyed cooking for them! I was able to have guests over without being mortified at the condition my home was in. I have been known to actually lock the door and duck away from windows when an unexpected guest has arrived due to my embarrassment! I'm just kind of persnickety like that, dopey, I know. What all this did, was remind me of the reasons I went back to school in the first place, for my daugher, for our family. I did not go back for that degree, that little piece of paper, but for what learning the language could do for my Claire.

On that front, I did speak to my advisor and learned that they hired a Deaf man from Galludet to teach in January. He won't be up to full speed until fall 2007, so that is when I may go back for a class or two. Learning ASL from a native speaker would be a wonderful experience, I'm sure. So I will not be going back in January, and am looking forward to it more than you know. I need this break., The 3 hrs in the car per day was sucking the life out of me. Now just counting down the last few weeks of this semester, and trying not to lose my momentum!

A little layout action! I have been taking my kidders school pics every since they started school, first, because we were homeschooling then. When they started public school I continued mostly because th school's pics were just ghastly expensive for...well..ghastly pictures! We've had varying degrees of success, and anyone who says the older they get, the easier it will get...well, they lie!:) This year's did come out pretty nicely though. And here is a layout done with Dianne Rigdon's Joyous Kit found at www.shabbyelements.com, and the sketch came from Layout Blueprints.

I will be including this little banner in my blog for a couple of weeks as I get to host this chat! It should be fun and I know they are giving away several coies of the book as prizes, and I think everyone who comes will get a discount coupon for the book.

Here are two websites to tell you more about the product: www.bluemediapublications.com.; http://artisticawareness.blogspot.com/

Grrrrrr, I thought I would save myself the madness of the 5am sales today by shopping online at Walmart.com. My boys both need some blue jeans and they had the Levi's on sale for $12/pr. I logged in at 5am, coffee in hand, curled up on the sofa with comforter, thinking what a wonderful way to snag those Black Friday Doorbusters. Apparently, a lot of other folks felt the same way (which is good thing, right?), but...Walmart was not prepared to handle the online barrage any more than they are ever prepared to handle it at the stores. I have been trying to checkout for more than 7 hours now.

Then, to make my day even better, I got a note from the college this morning saying they had miscalculated my credits, and that I will be two shy of graduating in Dcember. Unbelievable! But ya' know what, the class I really want to take isn't even being offered next semester- ASL IV. So I will not likely go back until it is. I a just so disgusted that they dissolved the courses in the program in which I was enrolled, that this is just the cherry on top.

Crab session over. Leftovers to look forward to tonight! And I do mean that! Thanksgiving dinner is even more wonderful the next day. And it was all the sweeter for me to cook it yesterday as I haven't really had the time to cook in a long time, the way I used to. And Levi helped me. He peeled potatoes and made an oreo cheesecake, and while he was only in the kitchen about 20-25 minutes with me, it ws nice to make that brief connection. And he seemed to really enjoy cooking! My boy is growing up too fast, so I'll relish each and every one of these moments!

OMGoodness! Blogging only two days apart! WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT POSSIBLE! :) Probably the same person who thought they could teach me to typs, but hey, ya gotta keep trying! And while I hate to plagerize someone else's blog, my friend J. posted this on her's and it is HYSTERICAL!!!!

She also posted this unbelievably scrumptious recipe that I'd requested and I just HAVE to pass it on. One of these days, when I have the time to figre out how to link her in my sidebar, you'll be able to go read her funny antics for yourself. The girl should really write for a living! But seriously, try this recipe. It may look like an odd combination of ingredients, but it is AMAZINGLY DELISH!

Cranberry Cheese Spread

8 oz cream cheese, 1 Tbs orange juice, 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts. Mix these 3 ingredients together.

1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries coarsely chopped
4 green onions (scallions)
1 heaping Tbs canned jalepenos chopped
1-1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp ginger
3-4 Tbs fresh cilantro
Mix the second batch of ingredients together and refrigerate for 4 hours, THEN combine with the first set of ingredients.

Top with cranberries and cilantro, serve with crackers.

Thanks J! Hugs, Girlfriend!

Hmmmm, my almost 14yo ds is learning the value of keeping his word. He had an airsoft party here last weekend and because of a serious slug streak he possesses, we made him sign a contract that went something like this: I (ds) will
help with the cleanup after the party without complaint, until it's finished and do so in a timely manner. In return, his dad and I agreed to pretty much just provide lots of food and stay out of the immediate vicinity, and not to make out in front of his friends :). All went well until today when we found garbage from the party- chip bags, pizza boxes, etc...blowing all over the yeard. He was supposed to have burned the trash and instead, stuck the bag behind the house and forgot about it, until the wind or furry critter ripped it open and scattered it for 1/2 a mile! Grrrr. So, he di not honor hispart of the bargain, and is spending Thanksgiving break grounded. Oh well, a parent's gotta do what a parent's gotta do!

Cheerier note: Check out Ali's new blog and some awesome digi-sales she's got happening: http://alifolendore.blogspot.com/

And Jen, I have been thinking about that amazing dip you made for the Mother-Daughter Tea a few years ago because I FINALLY found ciantro in my grocery store today! Post it on your blog, please? Pretty Please???? :) On my way there to beg now !

Thanks so much for your patience with this blog and me. Somehow the template seems to have altered itself- pulling the sidebar information to the bottom- just looks dopey. I was hoping that, by switching templates altogether, the info would be back in place where it should be, but seems it just plugged my old info into the new background. Hate messing with html! It's just a big old tech-hemmrhoid!

Baaad Blogger strikes again! But I had to help spread the word about an awesome 24hr sale Maya is having : Her store is HERE.
Must go shopping after classes today, must go shopping must go shopping must go shoppng. Greeeaat that's what I'll be thinking about instead of studying! Heeee.

I am soooo counting down the days until the semester's end. I will be graduating in December. I'm sad to see it ending, but relieved as well. Spending 3 hrs a day behind the wheel is sucking the life out of me! My house looks pretty bad and my children have forgotten that mommy used to be a great cook once upon a time. Looking forward to January!

Anyway, check out Maya's sale today if you get a chance. You already know her designs are wonderful, not the prices are better than ever!