My Oh So Guilty Pleasures

Some of these I partake in/enjoy regularly, some are hit-or-miss (though admittedly, when I miss them, I do find myself missing them.) Please don't judge me, I'm admitting great weaknesses here.

Oh wait, I heard about some stunningly guilty things from you, so I think I'm good!

The following is a list of things (in no particular order) that when indulged in I enjoy thoroughly, but probably should avoid totally:

1. The Real Housewives of New York/New Jersey*

Orange County and Atlanta didn't grab me, but, oh boy, those eastern ladies did.

In my defense some of these women strike me as being of good character.

No? You disagree?

Okay then how about this...when I admitted this guilty pleasure to a friend at church who teaches at a prestigious college in Chicago, she confessed she watches EVERY episode of

"Rock of Love."

2. The three major fast food restaurants that serve diet Pepsi--

Taco Bell, KFC, or Pizza Hut.
Oh, I jones for T-Bell.

3. Mary Higgins Clark books

I usually read one a summer. I find I've fallen behind, so this summer I have read two. Not quality literature. In fact, they were awful.

4. Tater Tots with BBQ sauce and salt

So NOT healthy.

5. And whilst we're there...chewy candy

Mike & Ikes, Twizzlers, Red Vines.

And now, thanks to the comment Shannon made on Monday's post, I have found that Menard's (of all places) has a great assortment of the chewy stuff.
I crave it; I give in to the crave--pictured above are spice drops for Shannon who came for dinner last night and fruit slices for me which are already more than half gone.

6. N'SYNC

Mac used to buy their CDs for me. Now if that doesn't prove he loves me, what does? Smart boy that he is, he would buy them used, BUT at the store he frequented, he had to ask for them by name. "Bye, bye, bye."

7. Napping

Ahhhhhhh. Twenty minutes is all I need, and I often fulfill that need.

8. The People's Court

I love Marilyn Milian. She can be incredibly gracious, but she's to the point.

Sometimes I wish I could talk to people like she does--I don't mean in Spanish, though that would be cool too--and get away with it.

9. diet Mountain Dew

Looks like anti-freeze, tastes like I don't know what, but every once in a while, I just need one.

10. People

You know, the magazine?

For a long time I subscribed, and now, when I see one on the newsstand, I swear, I twitch as I walk past it without buying it.

I currently read Vanity Fair, but I'm a People lover at heart.

11. Sleeping in my Blackhawks T-shirt

Mac won it in a bar over the winter.

Along with a Hawks logo, it also sports a couple of Bud Light logos.

I have nice jammies, but this is just soooo comfy and cute with boy shorts.

It's a very good thing that Brad likes it too!

12. George Michael songs

Particularly "Faith" and "Father Figure"

13. Whack-a-Mole, Skee-Ball and air hockey

All great ways to get out aggression.

My son no longer clamors to be taken to arcades (good thing, he's practically 23), but when he was younger, he'd play video games, and I'd go old school quarter games.

I miss those days...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So there's my list.

I have never claimed to be classy, never refined. This list points out how low-brow I can go.

Thank you for loving me anyway.

*I once compared a family member to acting like one of the Real Housewives. I was truly only teasing,and I apologized earnestly, but it seriously damaged our relationship.

Such a strong word, but...

So yesterday, I was driving to work when I found myself stopped behind a Dodge Ram pick-up truck whose license plate read, "IHATEGM."

It was a long red light, and I found myself thinking there must be a story there. Vanity plates cost more than random plates (so guess which type I have) to renew each year, and I was thinking this guy must really dislike GM in order to ante up extra bucks every 12 months.

Hating requires a ridiculous amount of emotion, and I just don't do it. Life is too good and too short to emote in the extreme negative.

So, I tend to use the word hate for things that irritate me. I can't think of anything I really hate, but I thought I'd make a list of things I "hate," just for fun.

I don't think any of them could be condensed to fit on a pithy license plate!

I hate...

1. coconut

2. cooked fruit (technically "baked" as in pies and such)--can't stand the mush factor

3. knee-jerk apologies--you know, "Say you're sorry..."

4. seafood (but I'm learning how to make sushi--I'm so hip!)

5. "Respect," by Aretha Franklin. I could live happily and never hear that song again

6. people who throw things in the trash when they could be recycled-- okay, I don't hate the people, just the behavior

7. when a good song comes on the radio just as I'm pulling into the parking lot at work

8. four-way stop signs during rush hour

9. DAYS spent eating like a healthy little bird and then getting on the scale to find I've GAINED weight!

10. hypocrisy, especially when I'm the one who is guilty of it

11. the Mommy-mill

12. drivers who don't merge as soon as they're told and then cause a horrible bottleneck--okay, again, I don't hate them but I am irritated by their bad manners

13. people who hold negative opinions of me when they don't take the time to get to know me--if you really know me, and you decide you don't like me, I'm cool with that!

13+ I have to say it...my thighs!

Isn't life GREAT when this is all that I "hate"?

What I've Learned from Being an Elementary School Teacher

1. The art of holding it.

I never seem to have time to go to the bathroom during my school days.

2. First graders think you're beautiful and will tell you so if you have something sparkly on or if you're wearing pink or purple.

Those words matter coming from anyone, any age.

3. I see more masterpieces from my desk than most people see in a lifetime.

4. My class breaks my heart daily--lately it's been because of the use of unkind names.

5. Spelling quizzes don't matter, and yet parents focus on them way too much.

6. We spend too much time assessing and not enough time teaching.

7. One surefire way to get a kid to remember you (forever) is to accompany him/her to the nurse's office with a trash can, stopping in the learning center to hold the can and sometimes hair back while he/she pukes. (Photo not available.)

8. I have finally mastered my math facts.

9. Kids' lit is better than adult lit.

And sharing it is a blessing.

10. Always do your plans in pencil. Each day is different and never turns out as anticipated.

11. I am lavished with loving gifts that stand the test of time.

12. Swings are the best cheap thrill on the planet.

13. You know you've done some good teaching when the kids go home more tired than you.

This does not happen nearly enough...

(I'm only meant to go to 13, but this is one louder--

I get to know and love each child, and then I have to send them away in June.

Most I never see again, and though it's the way teaching is designed, this is the hardest part of my job.

I know it's coming, I steel myself, yet my heart breaks a little more each summer.)

Thursday 13

Facebook is such an interesting tool. I was IMing, I think it's still called that, with a friend who newly found me, and he was telling me of his dream job.

The use of the word dream made me think,

"Do I have any dreams?"

Here are the dreams I came up with...it took me over two weeks. I like to think this means I'm pretty content (not complacent) with my life right now. Most of them are simple, I like that about myself, I will admit.

1) I'd like to learn how to cook. I've just never had the want or the patience before, but suddenly it interests me.

I excel at ugly foods, banana bread and oatmeal cookies, things that don't have to look good to taste good, but I'd like to get beyond that.

2) I hope to instill in my kiddoes (aka students) my love of books and reading, that's why I'm a teacher. I don't know if I'll ever see that dream come to fruition.

Did I, will I, have an influence?

3) Kind of along those lines, I'd like to write and have published a book or, hey since I'm dreaming, books kids would enjoy reading.

The good, valuable and marketable idea is the first hurdle.

4) I would like to learn how to speak Spanish. My ELL kids are delighted whenever I come up with a question or phrase in their first language, and it makes me want to know more.

(The title of the book above, btw, Read to Your Bunny.)

5) Oh to be a Gramma one day. Not any time soon, but some day.

I'll read to that bunny.

6) I pray that I'm a witness to the value of a relationship with God through Jesus. That it doesn't make me weird or someone to avoid, but instead it makes me someone to be with.

That dream comes to life time to time; that it would continue to do so would be incredible.

7) Firmer thighs.

How about firmer thighs at 50 than I had at 25?

8) That for a week solid, each one of my students on each paper, would write his or her name--without reminders (aka nagging) from me.

They say it can be done, but I have my doubts.

9) We love to go to normal places and find fun things to do. In the past year it's been Birmingham, Madison, Des Moines...but I'd love to go to Italy one day.

Something a little outside of normal and nearby.

10) I've only Xcountry skied once, and I'd like to do it again and more. Perhaps then a downhill try?

11) Through projects we do in class, I'd like knowing I water the seeds of service in my kids' hearts, and take time to recognize this in myself.

What kind of world do we want?

Think, dream, anything.

12) I'd like to learn to strum a guitar in a musical way.

13) One day I WILL own a better camera take some shots that take my breath away.

You know a piece of work that would make me say,
"I did that?"

Got any dreams? I'd love to read them.

Thursday 13

A preface: I totally swiped this title from another blog, though my concept will be different, I hope! I'm a sucker for alliteration.

ANYWAY--

Here are 13 extremely random things I believe!

(in no particular order and some are funny, so keep reading!)

1) Shopping for jeans is torture...

...wherever I endeavor.

2) Just because men are legally allowed to go shirtless doesn't mean most should!

3) My marriage will endure.

4) There are some people that will choose to dislike me without ever making the investment in getting to know me.

5) I am often honest, but not candid.

6) My little redbird is the last stick shift car I will own.

But it is paid for and I hope to have it for a long time.

7) I will always have a distorted body image no matter how thin I am.

8) I watch too much television.

9) The day the back of my arms waves as much as my hand when I'm gesturing hello is the last time I will wear a tank top of any kind.

My good friends will tell me when this happens...deal?

10) I'm no make-up expert, but too many women just forget to blend at the jawline, and I wish it would be okay if I carried a small sponge to help them out.

11) A person can be too tan.

Yes, I've shared this belief before, but it is unwavering.

I know a woman who tans with Afro-Sheen; she invites this to happen to her.
Scary.

12) Women own many shoes because they are much more pleasant to try on than jeans/and you can't have too many pairs of black shoes.

13) My students will accomplish more than I could ever imagine or pray for them. I wish I could know how each one of them will turn out.

I must at this point, offer a disclaimer. My friends from "before" tell me this blog is often too God-filled. I can't help it girls, my life is God-filled and I'm loving this LOVE He's brought me. I wouldn't have it any other way.

So He might seem to be missing from this list. Belief is a word I often use when describing how I feel about God, but it's really that I trust in Him,

I trust Jesus to lead me to Him.

He goes beyond belief!