Michelle (Thanks, Sis!) sent this pic to me today; I'm just about to lose my wig (note the funky, rubber crown tipping over), but it's a fun shot of Queen and King 4444 :)
And just because it was so much fun, I'm going to re-post this clip--With Christmas music playing in the background, this is how Mr.4444 greeted our trick-or-treaters last year. (This is not staged. I also have a clip of three little girls doing a lot of giggling, but this one was the best.) Also, sorry about having to bend to view it, but it's worth it!
[He's thinking of doing it again this year.] I love you, Mr.4444; you are one silly, fun man.
I can't tell you how happy I am to be writing my Friday Fragments this week. As most of you know, I've been "busier than a one-armed paper-hanger" (as Grandpa Bob or somebody used to say), and things seem to have finally settled down! I fell asleep at 8pm last week Wednesday night, which anyone who knows me can attest is cause for worry. Thankfully, I recovered from the insanity that was last week and am finally back in the saddle, thrilled with my day off tomorrow and looking forward to catching up with all of you this weekend. Thanks for joining me.
Sarah, of Ordinary and Awesome will no longer be hosting her Friday Freewrites meme. She is way too busy with the new site she and her husband have launched,
Check it out! Good luck to you, Sara! :)
***I'm still waiting for someone to send me a pic of ME from our party, so those of you who wanted to see my costume, I'll post one when I get home (keeping my fingers crossed :) In the meantime, here are two more pics that I found on Facebook. They are my top faves right now...
The white trash FIL and his "daughter" bride, Jed. I swear, if Jed weren't taken and I weren't completely in love with Mr.4444, I would have to hit on him--He is the best guy, as evidenced by his being willing to dress like this for our party. Jed and Sara are a wonderful couple, and I cannot wait to help them celebrate their real wedding in February. I also want to publically thank both Mike (white trash) and Jed for coming over bright and early Sunday (and Monday) morning to help clean up and put everything away. What great friends.
***And speaking of great friends, if you know my friend D, you would know that she is typically pretty quiet and a shy. This photo of her (on the left, with my cute niece, Mandy) makes me light up--
So glad she let her hair down and danced "for the first time in 15 years!" Love you, D :)
***My Favorite Friday Fragmenter last week was Sue, of As Cape Cod Turns.
"I had to put Gretel out in the backyard yesterday while the Comcast man was fixing my internet. I don't think she was too happy with this because when I went to get her she told me to get into the grave she had dug."
In keeping with the dog theme, I also loved Stacy, the Random Cook Chick's fragment about her dog. Seems her little girl was insistent that the bone she had found in the back yard must certainly be that of a dinosaur....
"When I told her it was probably a chicken bone or more likely a rabbit bone, she seemed disappointed. She went over to where she had placed her dinosaur stickers (on the back storm door) and confidently said "No, I'm pretty sure it's a Compsognathus. They were very small, in fact, they were the tiniest dinosaur of all. Like the size of a cat. That small." I congratulated her on her magnificent find. She headed back out to the backyard hoping to find a whole dinosaur. I'll keep you posted."
[Be sure to check out Stacy's wonderful Thanksgiving recipes from this week; they look YUMMY!]
Ladies, the award is yours this week!
***Grade schoolers up at midnight or later on school nights, playing Farmville on Facebook?! What's up with that? Should I bring it to the mom's attention, or MYOB? I can't decide.
***Molly is breaking her silence tonight on Fox11 News. If you're interested, the link is here. She took a big risk, speaking to the media (you never know how they're going to twist a story), but she felt it was important to reach parents who think their kids would never use drugs or that they have nothing to worry about.
***In case you missed Weaselmomma's hilarious party recap, you can find it here.
***I am husband-less tonight (Ohio, on business), son-less (college visit-Winona State, in Minnesota), and daughter-less (at a sleepover), and I am looking forward to a relaxing evening. I got to as many Fragmenters as I could last week. The rest of you will find me double-dipping this week. Thanks for your understanding :)
That's it for me! How about you? Care to join in the fragmenting fun? Learn how by clicking on the green button at the top of this post. The more, the merrier! :) Link your FF post here and join in the fun!
Saw this poster hanging at U.W.G.B. in the Student Union and loved it.
I hope the young men who need to get this message do. And I hope the young women who don't know how to set boundaries and maintain them learn how. (Maybe there should be a poster for that, too.)
To see more Mostly-Wordless Wednesday posts, visit Sarah, at Ordinary and Awesome.
I'm team-teaching five subjects in 6th grade this year. As a result, I've been exposed to all new curriculum, which in sixth grade includes includes ancient world history (Egypt, Rome, Greece) in social studies, and weather, nutrition, the human body in science. It's interesting, and I'm learning a lot. I have to tell you, Mrs. K really impresses me with her ability to say words like "anus" without laughing her ass off. LOL--LHAO--Did you catch that?! Now you see why I'm sometimes as mature as the kids! Seriously, the other day, I had to summon up some very serious thoughts to stop a fit of giggles.
Mrs. K has some terrific lessons to teach kids about their bodies, including an Einstein Kit that includes a poster pretest. Students in lab groups work together to cut out pictures of internal organs, place them in their "proper" places on a poster, and label them. The results of their pretests are on display in the hallway during parent-teacher conferences. They make quite a group of conversation pieces...
I was walking past an art classroom yesterday, when I heard a very loud wailing. I poked my head into the classroom and discovered the source--middle school art students, handling their anxiety over a project by giggling, wailing, and some just lying silently. Naturally, upon seeing it was a "Kodak moment," I rushed to get my camera and snapped a few shots.
Unless I'm mistaken, they were making molds of their faces for a mask project.
If you're like me, just looking at these photos takes your breath away. (Kids are so brave!)
I thought these two clowns (boys) were pretty cute...
These photos also reminded me of my poor sister, Michelle, who because of a couple of incidents in childhood could never even think of doing this art project (she'd definitely lose her mind in the process.)
How about you? Do you have any problem having your face covered? Would such a project be your idea of fun, or would you run the other way?
Little MsBlogger has a weekly meme called Rants and Raves. I'm about five days late, but you'll have to forgive me. Thanks.
RANT/RAVE--What kind of nut plans Parent-Teacher Conferences for a Monday and Tuesday?! Probably the same type of nut who plans an all-school Halloween dance for that Friday and a Halloween party at her house that Saturday. I am insane, but I survived last week! Three days this week with students--WOOHOO (Praise God for four-day weekends!)
RAVE--Weaselmomma came to our party!! What a sweetheart. She's a charmer, even when hung over really, really badly.
RANT--When you don't RSVP (Yes or No) for a party, it's not that big of a deal, but when 20-30 people don't RSVP, it's very stressful on the host/hostess in the hours leading up to the party (not to mention expensive, if you are NOT coming.) Be nice--RSVP.
RAVE-Hallelujah for mature dogs. With Cooper being eight now, I almost never have to run after him in my bathrobe anymore.
RANT-Of course, right after I had the previous thought (standing on the front porch in my bathrobe), he took off for the road, and I had the wonderful experience of meeting a neighbor (for the first time) while wearing my robe and with bed head and a mascara eye mask.
RAVE--Looking forward to making our favorite holiday side dish soon-Berry Mallow Bake. I'm certain that if Mr.4444, Kyle, or Kendall were ordering their last meal on Death Row, this would be on their list. Your potluck status will immediately skyrocket if you make this. [Note: I did not pay myself for this recipe endorsement.]
RANT--If I couldn't pick your son/daughter out of line-up to save my life, I don't think it's appropriate to invite me to the wedding. That's all I'm going to say about that. (And no, I'm not talking about Jed and Sarah, Silly!)
RAVE--I treasure your company and your friendship. I'm excited that I'll have the time to touch base with all of you by the end of this week. Until then, have a GREAT week :)
P.S. I had no camera for most of the party. Most of my pics came from other peeps, so I do not yet have a pic of me in my costume that is blog-worthy. I'm sure I'll get some via email or FB this week, so stay tuned if you're interested :)
Well, my head hurts a little, and I don't even drink. I can only imagine how Weaselmomma's head feels. Can you believe she drove up all the way from Chicago to get drunk visit me and meet Mr.4444? What a sweetheart! I'm pretty sure she'll have plenty to say on her blog, so I'll just summarize; she had a BLAST. (Well, I'm pretty sure she'll say that, once the hangover has worn off.)
People go all-out, costume-wise, at our party. Here are our friends, Dawn and Jerry, who looked amazing...
Crash Test Dummy Jeff (Most creative), Blind Guy Mike (Funniest), and Nurse Pam (sexiest.) Yes, I realize that she doesn't look that sexy in her coat. I guess you'll have to show up next year to see sexy.)
Here are Susi and Michelle (who came with Ketchup and Heineken.)
And here 's Weaselmomma kicking butt in the "Nails Game," which we had set up in the "Spooky Walk in the Woods."
Mr.4444 was very impressed...
(For what it's worth, he's bowing, not barfing.)
Bride and Groom, Jed and Sara, won Best Couple for their costumes...
Have you ever seen a more beautiful blushing bride?
They're getting married in February for real, so we did a practice Grand March. And, of course, the groom had to look for the garter...
And what wedding is complete without the father-daughter dance? (There's always tears...)
(Yes, he's white trash, but his daughter loves him anyway.)
You know how some women brag about how talented their husbands are in that certain, very important room in the house? I like to brag, too; that Mr.4444 is soooo good, even after being up til 3am! He always knows just what I like and aims to please me. This morning, he was so good that I took pictures!
How many men can party til 3am and still get up at 8:30am and do this for their wives...
I've met many a lazy student, but none lazier than Tom. When it's time to work, Tom (who is fully capable academically) always seems to have an injury, illness, or need to use the restroom or visit his locker. Yes, we know he has troubles in his life and may even have a disability (not diagnosed), but that doesn't make it any less annoying when he starts up with his excuses and avoidance tactics.
This morning in math, Tom spent fifteen minutes on the problem 3.4 x 5.2 because he likes to "do it all in his head." He probably wrote four or five different answers (I'm not exaggerating) after being told they were still incorrect, each time refusing to just work the problem and insisting that he prefers "to do mental math." Finally, I told him, "Doing it in your head is a great skill to brag about when you can actually do it quickly, but when the entire class has finished the page and you're still on the first problem, that's your cue that your method isn't working. May I show you how to do it?"
Of course, he said no and continued his dogged effort to avoid working. Why can't he see that it would take a tenth of the effort to just do it?!
Fifteen minutes later, when the rest of the class was nearly done with a quiz and Tom hadn't started it, I approached him and asked him to get to work. In a very whiny voice, he replied, "I just can't concentrate..."
That's when I had a flash of brilliance. I knelt down next to Tom's desk, and in the most compassionate, kind voice I have ever mustered, said, "That's okay. I understand completely. You take all the time you need. You don't need to take the quiz right now. Why don't you just rest?" Swinging to look at me with a, "Wut u talkin' about, Willis?" look on his face, he ventured, "Really?"
"Sure. I've arranged it so that you can just take your quiz in the detention room today during your lunch and recess. There's plenty of room in there, and it's nice and quiet. In fact, you'll probably be the only student in there today. You can also do yesterday's and today's homework in there, too, since you've obviously been too distracted to do them at home. Mrs. T will be expecting you."
I'll bet you're shocked to know that Tom then busted out an entire quiz in about three minutes. As he was finishing, I pretended not to notice and called him over to show him the email I was sending to Mrs. T:
"Please expect Tom today. He will be finishing a quiz, as well as two homework assignments (pgs. 60-61 in his Math Journal.)"
"But I'm done," Tom insisted. "I don't need to go there now."
"Yes, you do," I replied warmly, yet firmly. "It will give you the quiet place you need to get your other work done. You're welcome to go to recess after you're finished."
Tom's facial expression at this point would make a hilarious desktop background; I wish I could have taken his photo right then. (Of course, I would never take a photo of a child in distress; I'm much too compassionate to get enjoyment from a student's pain! (wink-wink)
Flash-forward 90 minutes later...
Would you believe that poor Tom ended up forgetting to go to the detention room at lunch time (maybe there is really something to his concentration problem?), but never fear; I was there to hunt him down like a dog find him and prod gently guide him to the detention room before heading to my Lunch Duty.
Believe it or not, when Mrs.T asked Tom to produce his Math Journal, he had lost it! That poor kid's memory problem sure is serious! Good thing Mrs.T just so happened to have an extra copies of the homework Tom needed to complete, so he didn't even need to go to his locker again to get it.
I was going to write a Friday Fragments intro here, but Mama Still Wears Gucci's was so great last week, that I'm recycling hers!
Ever felt like you had a destiny? A calling? This insistent tugging at your heart, your mind, perhaps your very soul to go forth an conquer? Yeah, me neither. If sappy crap like that ever pops up I usually douse it in the gasoline of cynicism and light it with the spark of indifference. I like to keep it happy. Still, the tiny little corner of my person that still possesses motivation to do something other than skate through this season of my life with something other than internal dread and forced external faux optimism is Mrs. 4444. Oh, yeah, and I guess my "husband" and "children". They bring with them mild reason for getting out of bed as well. Anyway, here goes...
***My Favorite Friday Fragment from last week came from Dysfunctional Mom, who found this gem of a comment on the Rice Krispies website.
Man! - I really love the ones that crackle and the ones that pop, but on the other hand, I just cant stand the ones that snap. I have been trying to pick them all out but it takes for ever and they are REALLY hard to distiguish. anyone else feel me? what can I do? thanks in advance for any ideas. Buck buck, – Posted: 07-16-2009, 9:28 AM
Thanks, DM! Here's the coveted award for you...
***My nephew, Logan, has started up his first blog, SPLAT-O. It's sure to be entertaining. Make a ten-year-old happy and pop over to say hi, will ya? Thanks.
***I think that if someone could find a way to turn dog vomit into a rust remover, they'd make a ton of money; that stuff is caustic!
***Mr.4444 has taken up snoring this week. What a bummer for me. He says it's just allergies right now. Man, I hope so; sleeping snuggled with Mr.4444 is one of my favorite things in the world.
***I had dinner with Molly on Wednesday. She's in as good a place as anyone could expect under the circumstances of having lost a child. She's been overwhelmed with emotion over the compassion she's been shown this past year by everyone who touches her life, but especially the compassion of strangers. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers as Molly approaches October 27th, the anniversary of Ryan's passing.
***This has been a very stressful week--Two 13-hour days (Parent-Teacher Conferences), a school dance tonight, etc. etc. etc. I haven't seen Facebook in forever, and I can't even take the time to Tweet! It takes days for me to get to my work email, and my personal email? I could cry.
***Our 7th (or is it 8th?) annual Halloween Party is Saturday night. Honestly, I wish you could all be here--It's going to be a blast! Don't expect pics at midnight Sunday morning, but I will get to them eventually. I'm out of my mind busy with school these days, and the thought of being ready in time gives me a headache (I don't even have our decorations up yet!) Wish me luck!
Link up below to welcome other fragmenters to your Friday Fragments or Friday's Freewrite post :) Sarah, of Ordinary and Awesome, has a similar Friday Theme, Friday's Freewrite, and welcomes all fragmenters!
[P.S. To learn more about Friday Fragments, click on the green FF button at the top of this post.]
Mr.4444 had a birthday on Sunday. The whole family (his brother, SIL, nephew, his mom, some friends, us) gathered around to watch him open his second gift from his mom (she had already given him present earlier in the week but had an extra gift so he would have something from her to open on his "big day.) We looked forward to it, because there is a tradition in which Mr.4444 always tries to guess the gift, based on hints he's dropped and by feeling the package. Sometimes he is right, and we all groan, and his mom feigns annoyance. Just as often, though, he is wron (and we get a good laugh out of it.)
Near the end of the football game, Grandma4444 snuck up behind Mr.4444 with a big box. Cocky, without looking behind him, he said, "Are you going to give me my coffee maker now, Mom?" We all laughed, and I told him it wasn't going to be that easy. She handed him a big, heavy box, which he proceeded to turn and shake, a look of deep concentration on his face. His second guess was a jacket (wrong again.) Finally, he opened it, finding a Packers pillsner glass, but that wasn't all....
Also inside the box and newspaper was second package. Eyebrows furrowed, Mr.4444 weighed it in his hand and finally said, "I have no idea." From the wrapping emerged a small, birch fireplace log. Ha! She had fooled him! She had bought firewood for him/us (kind of as a gag gift), and she announced that it would be delivered in the morning. He looked kind of happy but hadn't said much yet; I think he was really surprised.
"Are you happy?" Grandma4444 asked. "Do you like it?"
Finally, he smiled, and said, "Actually, I can't think of a better gift for me than some wood!"
It's been a long, long time since anyone took the trouble to follow my award-giving rule, but Rocio was up to the challenge. What a sweetheart! For those who aren't aware, I will happily accept awards, but to pass them on, I have a rule you must follow first. See my SHT Hall of Fame for those who have followed the rule (my favorite is Ed's)--You must first do a Stupid Human Trick and post it on your blog. That Rocio is a great sport. Here's her offering.
Isn't she cute? Thank you very much, Rocio!
And now, I will honor my commitment by listing "Ten Things" about me. This is tough, because I've been blogging for two years now, and you all know so much about me, but I'll try to mostly list things I haven't mentioned before.
1. I almost never dust.
2. I vacuum a little more often than I dust. (Mr.4444 vacuums, too, though.)
3. I love having my toes sucked. (Sorry if that's TMI.) Same goes for my fingers. For the origin of this discovery, you'll have to read this post (scroll to the bottom of the post)
4. Mr.4444 and I dated six years before getting married; I had to practically drag him down the aisle, but he's been a very willing participant ever since.
5. I'm ashamed to say this, but I once threw an egg at someone's house (after wiping my fingerprints off of it, of course.) I'm very sorry. I was a kid; what can I say?
6. My favorite candy is SNAPS (candy coated black licorice).
7. I used to sneak candy into the movies. Now, I'm too afraid of getting caught; they have cameras facing the audience in our theater now, and an usher once came in and stood, staring at me, so I'll probably never do it again. (My heart was beating SO hard!)
8. I used to bite my nails. (Wait-I still do. Sorry about that.)
9. I'm a night person. If I could have any schedule, I would stay up til around 2am and sleep til 10am.
10. One of my latest morning routines is wiping my phone down with an antibacterial wipe. (Yes, I'm aware that nail biting invites germs like crazy. I actually wash my hands first, usually.)
Okay, that's it for me. If you can relate to any of my random facts, this award goes to you :)
Freegal1000, of MOO also took me up on the SHT challenge when she gave me this Bella Award...
Holy cow! I am impressed (and almost speechless!)
These two dedicated gift-givers' SHTs are definitely going into my SHT Hall of Fame. Now, I'm supposed to regift the award to 15 new blogs I've found. Well, guess what? I'm not young, like Moo, and I certainly don't look like that in a bikini (anymore), so I'm going to play the "I'm old and crotchety and feel like breaking the rules, so I'm not picking 15. (I can't keep up with my favorite blogs at all, let alone any new ones.) I hereby pass this award on to five bloggers whose blogs I think are lovely. The only rule is that there are no strings attached. Just enjoy this award and pass it on if you ever feel like it :)
*A Long Patience (Andrew isn't really what I'd call "lovely," which he'd be the first to admit, but his post today is, and he's a gifted writer.)
*Ignore the name; Cow Patty Surprise really is a lovely blog. Nezzy's writing style sooths me and makes me smile.
*Divergent Pathways (Jana) is definitely lovely blog,
*Yaya's blog is truly lovely. She is a very lovely person whose loving spirit is a beacon to many. I know you agree. She gets awards all the time, and she's probably had this one ten times, but I'm bestowing it anyway.
*And finally, I think Willowjack Boys is a lovely blog. Insightful, inspiring, heart-warming.
As you walk across the gorgeous U.W.Green Bay campus, there is much architecture and natural beauty to admire. However, some things worth seeing are not so obvious. Walking towards the Kress Athletic Center, our guide pointed to this beautiful oak tree.
Yes, it's lovely, but it also has a story. If you look closer, you'll see a hint.
Can't make them out? Look closer...
Each year, graduating seniors who are so inclined toss a pair of their shoes (tied together) up into the oak's branches, to "leave a little bit of their souls on campus." I have named it "The Tree of Soles."
I guess it's good that this tradition wasn't around when I was a student at U.W.G.B. (Clogs are hard to tie together.)
I had the pleasure of returning to my Alma Mater with Kyle on Friday. The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is located on the bay of Green Bay and has hundreds of acres of beautiful trees. With colors at their peak this week, I knew it would provide some Winners for Weekly Winners, hosted by Lotus, at Sarcastic Mom. And of course these also fit perfectly into a Sundays in My City post, hosted by the wonderful Unknown Mami.
The campus is every bit as beautiful as I remember it from 23 years ago. (What? Am I that old? Crazy.)
The Kress Athletic Center was amazing and beautiful.
I'm amused by someone's idea of art...
This one is my favorite...
Here are a couple of shots I took on the way home from work...
And the last minute of my ride home...
I know Wisconsin's winter is just around the corner, but I sure am loving fall...
You may not be able to experience our fall in Wisconsin, but you can join in the Weekly Winners and Sundays in My City fun! Click on the links below for more moving shots :)
Button, button, who's got a button? Click on the Blogroll tab at the top of this page for a visual cornucopia of blog buttons from some of my favorite bloggers, ripe for the picking! Don't see yours? Send the code my way, and I'd be happy to add it :)
Mom always said that copying is the sincerest form of flattery. In this case, she is wrong. Copying my writings/photos (without my permission) is just plain stealing. Mom might forgive you, but I won't. Don't do it.
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