Monday Minis

I have lots of little random things rolling around in my thoughts this morning...

• I much prefer my consistent fast walking of three miles over my slow running in fits and spurts.  AND, I'm feeling a difference in my legs.  Yay! 
• Letters went out on 8/1 to tell students who their teachers are.  This is peculiar to me because right now the fourth grade classes sit at 32 kids each (I had 21 kids last year), and there's a chance we might get another section.  So I'm hearing from kids who may be moved to another class.  (My principal said a disclaimer was included in the 4th grade letters.)
• Speaking of school, I have to get over there.
• I don't want to until I know what number of kids I'm setting up for!
• I'm rereading one of my favorite books, Too Busy Not to Pray by Bill Hybels. It changed my life the first time through, the second time through, and I have a feeling it may do the same this time.
• When stress hits me I purge.  I used to not eat, so this is much healthier.  Things purged:  facebook friends, pins on pinterest, old email addresses, clothes and basement and garage stuff to Goodwill.  I'm even excited to say we're driving Mac's futon to Chicago, a friend wants to buy it--over an hour trip for those of you who aren't local.  A few things are going on Craigslist too.  Take that stress.
• That's what a control freak I am.
• This was a bad back weekend for Brad.  On Saturday, I came home from giving blood to find him doing some edging for me (I didn't ask), and he then spread some mulch.  Now he's paying for it.  I feel awful for him.  The meds he has to take just to be able to move make him so sleepy.  He asked me to pinch him in church so he wouldn't fall asleep!  I did, but I didn't like it.
• Mac's overnight work schedule is a challenge to work around. (He works Tues-Sat nights, 10-6 at the Trib.) On his days off, he still keeps the same sleep schedule.  So he's home and about to go to bed, only to get up "early" so we can head to Lisle, getting there before six, for some best man suit rental  measurements on the way to the big city.  
• I went to a wedding shower at Francesca's in Naperville yesterday for my friend Amy.  Great food and nice people to hang around with.  She looked beautiful and she graciously received many fun household items. 
• Two creative gifts, a basket of wine for "first" occasions, each bottle came with a poem (and there was sparkling juice for when she finds out she's pregnant), and a gift card in a frame with wrapped in a dishtowel.  
• It's true, my yard flowers know the difference between rain water and hose water, and they prefer the former. 

 Have you ever seen someone so pleased to receive a salad spinner?

Sorry for the grain, I took this with my phone from my seat.

What random thoughts do you want to share with me?  Feel free!

Stuff That's on My Mind Monday

Gotta purge, or all this is going to be on my mind and distract me from my daily duties:

My son, a grad student in LA (as in Louisiana not Los Angeles) said "reckon" the other day.  Yep, they've got him.

Do you think vegans eat off bone china?

I like when LSU wins, it gives me an excuse to wear jeans and a T shirt to school.  Purple and gold today people (hidden by a big ol' sweater.)

Don't be jealous, I crawl around on the floor a lot in my job (reading group's on the carpet). Jeans make more sense than a dress.

Pajama day at school on Wednesday.  DO be jealous.  It's a student council thing, and since I'm the faculty leader for the council I plan these days with the kids.  This one makes me VERY popular with  (most of) the teachers.

Brad says there were some teachers he wished he could have seen in their jammies back in the day.

My holiday nail color of choice is always (for 15 years now) "I'm Not Really a Waitress" by OPI.  It's a festive red.  I wonder what "I'm Not Really a Teacher" would look like?  (I'm thinking overhead marker green with a touch of black dry erase, you now like a weird kind of French mani.)

This year is sooo stressful, finding time to paint my nails is a challenge.  I sometimes have gray roots and cuticle roots.  When I find time to push my cuticles back, I find my nail are suddenly an eighth inch longer.

I wrote about Kermit some time in 2011, and since people are all aflutter about the Muppets, I'm getting a lot more hits.  They're fleeting hits, but hey, maybe someone will stay.  Maybe.

I am stunned by the clothing that's out there for girls.  You know, young girls.  Toddlers & Tiaras doesn't haven't to be your daughter's reality people.  No need to dress your daughter like a skank.

Why rush the teen years?  Lately I've been hearing and reading moms who say, "Oh my daughter is acting like a teenager!"  Don't brag about it, thwart it!  She's 8 for Pete's sake, get her a Beverly Cleary book.  Buy her some Keds.  Take away the shirt that reads, "Diva."

A week off from school, one trip to the library, but no books read for fun.  I'm a loser.

Science starts this week.  I took a nine week unit and shrunk it to five.  I swear, the kids love science, but it's a pain in the tookus to plan, prep and teach.  Gotta remember the love, but there's thin line between love and...

I hit the snooze 5 times this morning.  Not because I was tired, but because the air outside of my bed was so cold.  Winter wuss.

Frag That

We started school last week, and this past Monday we had parent night.  I had a pretty good turnout, but this year I was required to present twice.

I talked too fast.

I made the parents laugh though.  More than once in each talk.

I came home exhausted and wide awake.  Stayed that way.  Pretty much all week.

*****

You know what freaks me out?  All You Can Eat anything.  In this day in age, should such bargains really exist?

Brian Williams, love him, told us chocolate is the red wine of candy.   I have been vindicated.

Got this Email coupon from Chili's:

I'm thinking the two drinks for me, half the appetizer, Brad eats a dinner, and we take the rest home.  That's a plan, right?

*****

Bill's Bay this weekend, can't wait to ride bikes and hang out pool side.

*****

Gotta get some reading done, What Alice Forgot and The Book Whisperer are first, but there are others in Mount To Be Read.

*****

There are so many things I want to write about school, but even though few people read this blog, it's still too public.  I can say, my kids are sweet, but someone is ALWAYS talking.  Always.  I had my recurring "shut up" dream, in which I get so fed up with my class I start screaming, "SHUT UP!  SHUT UP!"  and yet they keep talking.  And this dream around, I also cried from frustration.  Except for the shouting and crying, too much like real life, and yet a nightmare nonetheless.

*****

I love the Dollar Tree.

*****

My student who was hurt in the house explosion came back to school for two mornings this week.  A miracle girl.

*****

School's back in session, but it's not fall yet.  I have mums planned, but I'm holding onto my impatiens as long as possible...Let's not rush the season, K?

*****

So, in the news locally, the Chicago teacher's union is scoffing at a suggestion their kids and they have a longer school day.  I researched how long their day is, and it's 45 minutes shorter than ours, but it looks like their plan time is at the end of the day while ours is in the middle when kids get art/music/PE.  So does that mean those kids don't get those specials?  I'm confused.  They have fewer days of school too.

*****

I like the idea of year round school.  I can tell you many of my students didn't pick up a book all summer.  Sigh.

*****

My facebook status yesterday:  It is rare that I comment publicly on politics, but the thought came to me today about both parties (all parties?) that those in charge are way too worried about keeping their jobs whilst all the while coming across as being completely uncaring about OUR jobs.

*****

Three day weekend, thank you Lord.  Three day weekend, and I can really celebrate, 'cause I am labor.

Thank you Mrs. 4444

Tired Tidbits

It's a slow news week here in Atown and Btown.  Actually, there is a lot happening, but I'm just too cashed to share much with you.  And it's school stuff that's consuming my thoughts, bureaucracy and all, do you really want to hear it?  I think not.

So I'm going to share these random tidbits instead.

Trying to eat a little healthier, I bought a six pack of the above the other day.  Having never tasted it, I asked Brad what he thought it tasted like.  He said, "Cold tomato soup."  He was right.  One little can = one serving veggies.  I should drink 5 a day.  (It's only 30 calories.)

I've never had an apricot.  I wanted to get some of those, but our grocery store didn't have them.  Time to branch out...

Why did my hair barely curl in Baton Rouge with all that humidity but went NUTS here yesterday where it was (relatively) cooler?  I swear I could hear each little curl pop out like wire springing.  Note to self, more Garnier anti-humidity on these little locks.

All my good library holds came in this week.  Go figure, I've been waiting months for some of them. School has resumed, and at night (8:00!) I lie down to read and immediately fall asleep...

Think about It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.  Remember the scene with Lucy escorting Linus home and into bed each night.  Now insert Brad escorting Ellie.  I'm helpless after eight and haven't even started tutoring after school yet. 

This was a bad week to give up caffeine.

My new students are so durn cute, but they never stop talking.  Never.  Only two days into it, there's  a lot of behavior training to do because there's a lot of learning we need to do. 

I'm planning on painting a pumpkin to look like a candy corn come fall.  So I went to Michael's to buy some paint.  I picked up yellow and orange.  What's wrong with that picture?

Hot date last night with the husband, Bed, Bath and Beyond for a new 2-tiered lazy Susan and a container for our powdered sugar!  What a wild life, eh?

Hey, four months until Christmas!

This is how spacey back-to-school makes me.  Twice this week at about 10 a.m. I've wondered if  I forgot to apply my anti-antiperspirant.  I keep some in my desk drawer for such a reason, but it's baby powder scent.  Gag...I'm smelled like a clean baby's butt two days this week. 

I need to do something "green," it's been too long since I made a change for the better. I'm thinking of alpaca dryer balls for softening.  Any one use such things?

Loving this...

source

Horace and Then Some

     It's Friday, and even though it's summer, I'm fragmented.  But it's a good kind of fragmented.  It's summer, so what's there to complain about?  Except that it's going by way too fast.

~~On Monday morning, we had a ridiculously strong thunderstorm.  It sounded like the siding was blowing off the house.  Instead, a baby robin blew out of a tree in our little yard.  I didn't find him until Tuesday.  My neighbor showed me how to feed him, and I believe we saved his life. On Wednesday I fed him again and named him Horace.  His mom started taking care of him later that day, and he just may make it.  Here's what he looked like when I first found him:

~~Mom flies away any time we go near our patio window, so here's a view from our upstairs office window of her and the plate of mushy bread plus two worms from my compost bin. Can you see her?  She's the big lump on the left.  (Plush green grass, eh?)

~~We're having a party on Sunday because Mac is home.  I bought these plates at  Dollar Tree.  I love Dollar Tree, the only store where everything is a dollar.  I figure, to be green and eventually frugal, I'd spend the $36 to get these and never have to buy paper or plastic plates for a party again!  (Local?  Feel free to borrow them.)

~~Napkins are paper though.

~~Plates (check), napkins (check), know what I'm wearing (check), not much food purchased  but some planned.  Brad's cleaning the house, love that, so as soon as I hit "publish post," it's party planning time.

~~Mac brought his girlfriend Anneke (like Monica without the M) home.  She brought me a hostess gift, wrapped in repurposed paper (love that).  It's an apron she made.   Of course Mac had to tell her I don't like seafood, and these are Louisiana crawfish, but I think it's so sweet!  (I thought they were lobsters.)

~~My friend Andi is working on obtaining a grant.  Andi taught at our school for two years, read at my wedding (explains the photo), and since moving districts has been doing a different job in a different school every school year since fall of 2007. She's worked in two different schools each day, taught two different grade levels, and she's done a stellar job!  She's had more flexibility than this ol' gal ever could find.  This year she's going back to school from a maternity break to another new position, a 4/5 split!

     Please click on this link and search her by author name (Andrea Peterson) to vote for her grant proposal.

~~Last night I posted a running question on facebook. I've been getting stitches and wanted to know how to avoid them.  This morning I woke to such great advice from about a dozen runners.  I love my friends.  I went with a banana and some of this juice for breakfast, waited 20 minutes to run, and...no stitches!  Not only that, I ran two miles and ran non-stop for 30 minutes.  This is better than I've done in this new attempt at reaching a 5K.  So I am so pleased.  A nanner a day...

~~Here's one of my next projects?  Can you tell what it is meant to be once finished?

~~I seriously love the dollar store.  Specifically, as stated above, Dollar Tree.  I found these DVD's for Brad's grandkids. Bible stories and praise songs.  And I like the cardboard sleeve versus the plastic case.  Can't wait to get them in the mail!  (Should we send them all at once or one every other week or so?)

~~A realization hit me this week as I was discussing sewing with Little Lizard King.  I realized I liked completing my simple little tote project, and hope to sew another project, because I finished it.
     In my job, I don't really and truly finish anything tangible.  We get through things, I spend precious time with my kids, then I send them on their way, so I don't ever feel like I have a finished product.
     Perhaps sewing will keep me from teacher burn out?

~~Thanks to Mrs. 4444 for allowing me, once again, to spill.

Typos, grrrr, I hate 'em, and I make 'em...

Fragments from my Friday...

Thanks Mrs. 4444!

~~Seriously, I have been making really dumb typing errors everywhere lately, here on this blog, in comments on other women's blogs, and on facebook.  Dumb stuff like done instead of down, since instead of sins, and worse.  I've been told only teachers care about such things, but can that be true?  I know how to spell the words, I'm just typing the wrong ones and not noticing.  Arrggghhh!

~~Mac comes home to visit in two weeks, and we're having a bunch of people over on the 17th. No main courses planned yet, but my desserts are all figured out!  Do you suppose when people ask what they can bring I could say, "Twelve burger patties," or "Some hamburger buns," or "How about a really big dish of something to pass"?  (I wasn't sure how to punctuate that, you tell me.)  My friends are almost all, "What should I bring" kind of people.  I like that, only because it makes it seem more like everyone's party.  (And I'm like that, too!)

~~Brad had a closing today! Slowly, this real estate thing is happening.  He's good at it, honest, ethical. He knows a good house and a good buy when he sees one.  He counsels the people he works with, and I love that about him.

~~Speaking of the hubs, he's going to Indy next week as his son and family are moving farther away, and he doesn't know when he'll see them again.  I kind of want to go with him but very likely won't.  Sigh, I love Indy.

~~Watermelon.

~~The above statement is not a typo.  It's a passion. Fortunately, I have a husband who likes to cut fruit.  So there's a big container of cool watermelon chunks in our fridge.

~~I am beginning to feel almost rested. Three weeks of sick, five days on Rx, and I can't help but think how challenging a serious illness must be.  I'm thankful this too, eventually, will pass.

~~I tried to run today, and it was like starting all over again.  Had to give myself a pep talk, reminding myself that the effort, in this case, was worth more than the accomplishment.  ("It's okay to be a wuss, El.")

~~We live in a city called Aurora, and there's a smaller town nearby named Oswego.  The other day this was on a gas station sign in the heart of that town:

Seems just right to remember the hearts of such service people on this holiday weekend.

Early Bits and Pieces, aka Fragments

~~So where is June?  School over mid-month, rain, severe cold/virus, rain...and in the forecast more rain.  Hm.  How to grab onto these last few days and savor them?
~~Our flowers are looking lush.  Neighbor Ashlee and I are delighted, and we are already talking about fall planting.  (No photo due to rain, but check back for a belated addition--if it stops raining.)
~~I went to the dentist on Wednesday and learned I should get braces (again).  I've wanted them for a while, but now that I know I should, I've been nervous about calling an orthodontist.  The cost, oh the cost. 

 source

~~Speaking of my dentist visit... I saw a new doctor with a new assistant, and they were both great!  But I learned about this flossing thing.  Interesting.  I should now get an award for flossing two nights in a row.  Seriously, a new personal best.

 source

~~Notice, this novice flosser is not endorsing any particular brand. I just thought it was funny it was so easy to find floss clip-art.

~~Have now met and worked with all five of my summer students.  Love them!
~~Last week I made an tasty orange bundt...finally had Brad toss the leftovers as I was the only one eating them...not good. (You can see the cake not leftover now adhered to me in the self-portrait I posted yesterday.  My slice or two a day is on my thighs.)

~~Next, kind of on a dare, I'm going to try this one. (Can you say blog fodder?):

 source

~~Reading loss, I read about this book on goodreads, and I excitedly placed it on hold, checked it out, brought it home, started reading it, only to realize I'd read it before--probably within the last 6-7 months.  Am I the only dope that does that?

 source

~~Reading win.  I've been playing around and reading lots on www.wegivebooks.com.  I signed up on their facebook page, and of all the people who entered I read the most books this week, and I won a T-shirt!  More importantly, I've read over 50 books for the Chicago Public Schools!  

~~I am working on another rectangle for our Ronald McDonald House blanket. Finished one last week of my own "design" and decided to try a heart on a rectangle this week. Frogged (ripped it all out, rip it rip it) completely just now.  Isn't that how all designers begin?  If it looks at all like a heart, I will share it here next week.  (In other words, no photo available.)

~~Thank you to Mrs. 4444 for letting me post a whole lotta nada!  She's on a grand vacation, so I don't know that I'll be linking up, but you know what?  I still must give her the credit for all the smidgens I get to portion out each Friday!

  ~~As for the font?  Blogger is toying with me again, it refuses to do normal.  So I opted for large instead of smallest.  You are welcome.

Off My Game

Like I have game!  (How dated is that expression?)

This week brought the end of the school year, yay!

And, a pretty fierce bronchial cold.  Boo!

It also brought a panini maker (via Amazon.com and UPS) because..."I like sandwiches."

So far, my one panini attempt looked more like Wile E. Coyote after he was smooshed by an Acme truck or looked like me after I slept for about 36 hours straight (almost asked Brad take a picture, my hair was hilarious...)

sort of a source

I don't know if the 36 hour nap was due to the cold or due to my job exhausting me--and me finally giving into that exhaustion.  It's kind of a chicken or egg question.

My summer starts...NOW!

Friends coming to knit today.  I admire their talents so much, and I'll never catch up, but I still  hope to become a:

image stolen from cafe press

I'm making an orange bundt cake for them.  Because to knit, we must nosh.

Starting to look for things to make for Mac's party when he comes home mid-July.  These are on my list:

Paula Deen's cake balls

Suffice it to say we won't be making paninis...

In the past four days I've read two books, neither worth mentioning.  Meh to both.

Apparently, I definitely believe in "feeding a cold." I have eaten way too much the past four days.  Eep!  Can't wait to get back on the treadmill.

Yesterday, the cute young doctor on The Doctors said the way to lose more weight is to up one's speed, "Like on the treadmill run at 10 mph!"  Ten?  I barely can make a run at 4 mph.  Slow runners club member, I am, perhaps for life...(And this week I haven't done any running at all.  Can't wait, truly, to get back to it.)

photo source

I did not select a shirtless photo for any lustful reasons, it's the first one that I came across that was from a the show's site, not some random blogger's...

Which reminds me. It's that time of year to tell all men, "Just because it's legal for you to go shirtless, doesn't mean it's a good idea."  Thank you.

This came in the mail from Erin at Unrepeatables:  

 With a surprise...

Can I tell you how fun it was to lie in bed and snap ring pictures?  They're such fun, she makes them using nail polish. 

I'm feeling less fragmented, but I thank Mrs. 4444 for allowing me to make a list of the pieces of my week!

A mix of Random and Randumb

Have you seen the show Dresscue Me on Planet Green?  Such fun!  I love dresses and would wear them year 'round if there wasn't such a thing as a temp below 50.  This is the host and store owner, Shareen Mitchell.  Love her, don't always like her, but the green way she shops and redesigns blows my mind!  (I watch her On Demand.)

 source

 

A facebook friend turned me onto an OPI color line for the holidays:  Muppets!  

My friend Erin of Unrepeatables shared the news of  The Muppets collection  She makes the coolest rings from nail polish, check her out on facebook or etsy.  (She's way into polish, can you tell?)

 I found this at cafepress and it cracked me up.  Can't get it as a T though, just don't want people reading my chest, you know?

source

I do also want to learn to crochet.

Um, and #3 is a lie.

Last week I wrote about my favorite sandwich, mozzarella and tomato from Panera.  I crave them like a pregnant lady.  Anyway, this is how NOT Martha Stewart I am, as you well know, it took me a while to realize I could make my own.  Hello, it's a sandwich.

And mine was pretty good!

I don't know why the font size changes below, I went nuts trying to fix it, but blogger weirded out on me...

Lame duck alert!  

We have, including today, five more days of school. Report cards are done. We're sort of just hanging out, doing some fun stuff and waiting for summer. There's a talent show today, we're walking to the Elder Day Center tomorrow, the founder of A to Z is coming to meet the kids on Thursday, and on Friday we're having a picnic.  Something tells me it will all fly by and I'll be missing my kids...

source

(More about this after she speaks with the kids!)

Thanks to a great amount of encouragement, I have gotten up to 26 minutes of running, a personal best for me.  Couch to 5K got me started, and now I'm just adding a minute each run--and I'm only running every other day.

Happy me! Thankful for encouraging friends and a healthy body; I offer that thanks to God each morning.

Now I just have to find a way to keep the sweat out of my eyes.  Even in the basement it's hot and humid!

Suddenly Tuesday

I'm so not with it as far as random goes, today is catching me by surprise, but here's the minutiae that comes to mind:

Random grad student shtuff: The folks at LSU sent me a parking pass!  Aren't I lucky?  Actually, they sent it to Mac at his home address here in IL.  Hm, should I keep it?

Random Dose of Fiber shtuff:  I'm learning how to knit.  It's slow going.  Yesterday I got together with my girls, my Dose of Fiber girls, and we laid out the blanket we're working on for Warm-Up America and Ronald McDonald House. 

It's going to look great.  

We have 24.5 completed rectangles (note the skein in photo below), and we need 49.

Random explanation shtuff:  Why do I always say I'm "learning" to knit when I've been at it for more than a year now?  My rectangle, my only one so far, is the baby blue one in the first position second row from the bottom.  Can you say "simple"?  I knew you could.  Very. Slow. Going.

Random winter accessory on the first sundress day of the season shtuff:  Helen, group member and friend, gave me this scarf, and since it matched my dress, I wore it while I stitched and ate cook-out food.

Neato slip-knot feature!

Goes so well with the tank top, tank dress and love beads, eh?

Gorgeous colors. Next I learn to crochet!

Random Fashion Note:  As mentioned above, it was warm enough to wear a sundress yesterday!!

Random Run Ellie, Run shtuff:  Can you believe no one from Couch to 5K reads my blog, and therefore no one responded to the open letter I posted here?  Anyway, I tried the 20 minute thing on day three of last week, and it wasn't working.  But...I am happy to say I have decided to continue to push myself to goals I think I can reach. Yesterday, I ran 9 minutes, walked 4, and ran 15.  And it felt GOOD!  So I'm sure 20 is coming very, very soon.  And that after that, 21, 22, 23...you get the picture.  Feel free to cheer me on, I need it.  Any color poms will do...

Random Shocking Shtuff:  On Saturday, we attended a surprise 50th birthday party for my friend Gail.  Was  she surprised?  You be the judge...I believe her mouth may still be hanging open!

For more random thoughts, run over to visit Stacy...

It's Tuesday and I'm in Love...

     Okay, those aren't the song lyrics ("It's Friday and I'm in love"), but I am in love, so why not randomly celebrate it?
     Random thoughts from a randomly normal woman...with a thank you to Stacy!

Here goes:
Random menaresillierthanboys shtuff:  I wore this shirt and was made fun of last week. Can you read it?

One of my students moved from our school in IL to a new school in CT, and the name of her school is Tootin' Hills. She sent me a shirt just in time to wear to our FMSC trip.  The men on our staff thought it was hilarious.  Lots of "tootin'" jokes all day.  The boys in my class handled it just fine.

Random reading shtuff:  I read this book over the weekend and I loved EVERYTHING about it.  Just a nice family story (with some implied sex, so it's PG).  Real on so many levels.  Right all around.

Random classroom shtuff:  Excited to know I'm getting new "hand me down" chairs for my classroom next year.  My 5th then 4th graders suffered through the type on the right for the past decade, but next year's kiddos will happily sit in the kind on the left.

 
Random the earth smiles in flowers shtuff:  Our builder doesn't like us to plant flowers in the ground, but we do every year (otherwise everything around here is just green and tan).  This year we extended our planting from the front and the back  to the side of our house.  Can you spy the red geraniums? I hope they grow BIG!


Random I should have shtuff:  I'm thinking though, I should have planted some by my next door neighbor's bushes, you know the ones I look out on when I sit at my desk.  Blah, right?  (See, tan and green.)

Random Bible verse shtuff:  I came across this on two different blogs while stumbling blog to blog the other night:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

2 Timothy 4:7

Can I tell you how these words just fit on so many, many levels?  Within the context and outside of it.

Random strike out shtuff:  Bible verses are never random.

Random blog shtuff:   There are a lot of women's blogs out there in which the women put themselves down in the titles..."My crazy thoughts," "My little life," "Ramblings of a Mad Woman," etc. It makes me a little sad, I know it's done in jest, but everyone's words are important.

Random playground shtuff:  It's spring, and I'm itching to play with my kids at recess, but the way they play four square is "whack," and I certainly can't play soccer or kickball with them.  Really, I can't.  So yesterday I schooled them in classic four square.  I like to think I dominated! (My camera battery however, died...)

Random field trip shtuff:  We went to Feed My Starving Children on Friday.

If you have access to such a place, go there.  If you don't, go to the website and read how the organization came about.  Fascinating stuff.  Our group worked for a little over an hour to prepare food that will provide one meal a day for a year for 31 Haitian children.  Proud of my kiddos, and thankful to the parents who came along!

Random assessment shtuff:  Life is good.  Simple pleasures clearly are the best!