My Social Life

Well I've had a fun past few days. On Thursday I drove up north to meet a friend and go to the Brandi Carlile concert. This is the 4th time I've seen her, and it's rare for me to see artists more than once. She grew up near my hometown and got her start in Bellingham, where I went to college. John and I saw her in 2009 the night before we got engaged, and our friends sang one of her songs at our wedding. Not super uplifting, but this song related to us being long distance, and I think it's beautiful.


The other thing I love about her is her ability to belt it out! She knows when to be soft, when to yodel (!!), and when to scream. She's awesome live.



I went with my friend Julie, who is pure awesome. She was my accomplice in the Surprise Kitten Purchase of 2011 a few weeks back. Anyway, she can make fun out of everything, see?

Thanks for all the pictures you don't know that I stole from Facebook, Julie! :) It was great to visit Bellingham again. After the concert we went to another friend's house and had a little fire. It was a lovely time, and the latest I've stayed out in a while!

I went back down to Tacoma on Friday so that John and I could attend a friend's wedding.

Then yesterday we went to a car show that John was helping with in Gig Harbor. It was one of the first years so it was still pretty small, but fun. We also stopped by the park in Gig Harbor that has a view of the Narrows Bridges.

Looking forward to my last completely free week! After this week I've got a week-long training, our cruise to Alaska, another week-long training, then prepping for school! Whew!

Sleepy, Rainy Monday

Well, I slept in later than I have all summer (hey, that's pretty good) but it's okay because it was thundering and pouring rain when I got up. Also, I found my camera charger, so that motivated me to take a few shots of what I've been up to. That list of mine is slowly getting checked off.

First, I'm making progress on my gallery wall, which I started months ago (I want to say December...sad). I couldn't commit to where I wanted to put it but I'm going for it this time! I still have 2 more frames to paint, but that's not too shabby. I have the configuration up on the wall and plan on hammering in the nails within the next few days (trying not to set myself up for failure here). Can't wait to see it done!

I also started working on the paper dahlias I mentioned. I finished one, but ran out of hot glue sticks and will possibly run out of paper for the second one... which could throw a kink in things. Anyway, it took a few hours of watching The Talk, All My Children, and The Doctors the news to finish one, but I'm really happy with how it turned out and can't wait to hang them above our bed! This is my first book-paper project that turned out well, unlike my horrible Christmas tree... Also, did I mention the book I picked up at Goodwill to use happened to be Schindler's List?? What an uplifting book to have on the walls of our bedroom... sorry anyone who is offended that after I realized it (when I got home) I still used it. The pages were stiff and white!

I also hung up a few other things, namely my copy cat made-it-myself print of  "I heart you because ____." I've seen so many versions but realized that I know how to work Photoshop enough to just make and print my own. Turned out pretty well - and we finally have something up in our bathroom.Oh, and there's that toiler paper art that's been sitting on the floor for months... It got a little tore up waiting.

Oh and I had a great time scrapbooking with my mom and sister, although I only completed one page.

Pinterested?

Everybody's doing it. I've been on for a while now, but it'd be great to have more people to follow! :)

What I've been reading...

It's about a month into summer and I've already read more books than I think I have all year. Probably thanks to having such a handy-dandy reading device (my Nook Simple Touch Reader i.e. best birthday gift ever).

Into Thin Air by John Krakauer: An account of a trip up Mount Everest that turned infamous, and deadly. Krakauer does a great job of not only explaining what happened on the mountain over those few months as well as the basics of climbing a mountain, which is much more involved than I had imagined.

The Hunger Games (all 3 for free, thanks to my LoanMe friend :)) by Suzanne Collins. Apprehensive at first, but totally hooked now. Initially I had heard it was a book about kids killing kids. Yes, there is that element but the further you get into the series the more you realize it's about bigger things (you could even apply it to the direction our society could take should things fall into the wrong hands). I look forward to seeing how the movies go.

Bossypants by Tina Fey - Funny. Funny. Book. Precisely my sense of humor. I wish I could be as witty as her. I recommend this as a fun summer read. It's a biography about her life and her career at SNL and 30 Rock.

Currently Reading: 

 Under the Banner of Heaven by John Krakauer: Controversial, but very interesting. Take it with a grain of salt because while I believe that much of it is factual, there is definitely biased information. I am trying to keep an open mind. Fascinating, though. Krakauer is a great author. I would also like to say that, thus far, this book really applies to all extremists that we see in faiths of any sort and how easy it is to generalize a population by its most polarizing groups.

The Lost Hero (#1) by Rick Riordan: I read all of the Percy Jackson books and loved them (I get away with it because I am a teacher). So, this is the second series - same characters but also a new set of demigods.

I'm doing pretty well for still being in school (on book 6/7) and having slight reading-induced narcolepsy. I'm also compiling a list of books to pre-read that I could read to my students during homeroom. I would love to take recommendations. I teach 7th grade and want a book that is slightly younger than that. I want it to be somewhat suspenseful so kids look forward to reading it, but also maybe have something that could lead to a discussion. It's hard to find middle school read-alouds, but the list of books I'm going to pre-read are:

Esperanza Rising - Pam Munoz Ryan

Hoot - Carl Hiassen
Flush - Carl Hiassen
Scat - Carl Hiassen

The Misfits - James Howe

The Land - Mildred Taylor
Flygirl - Sherri L. Smith

I haven't read any of these yet, but just picked up 3 from the library. Hiassen's books seem to have a eco-issues theme, which I like since I teach science. Esperanza Rising and the Misfits is about overcoming odds/growing up I believe, which I also like. I obviously need something that will appeal to both sexes. Flygirl obviously has a girl lead, but it's about being a pilot so it may work... Anyway, suggestions are welcome.

What else have I been doing?

My last post was a quick one just to show my kitten and my floor lamp. But, there are a few other projects I have going and a few projects I hope to get going.

One of my goals this summer was to get a few more supplies for my classroom. If you are not interested, please skip ahead. Now that I've got two years under my belt I'm starting to get a better sense of my needs for organization and how I use the room. For example, I didn't like my turn in system. I never taught my students to use the turn-in bins, and it wasn't cohesive for them all to pile to that area of the room. So, the paper collector would collect the assignments and just give them to me. And I'd occasionally put them in a "to grade" folder. Meh. I would also have the student helpers give out missing work slips at the beginning of class, but then I would have to file them all before I could see which students had 3 missing work slips (which means detention). The other major thing I didn't like was having the stapler/tape/extra pencils up on my desk. The caused a lot of traffic in the front of the room and a lot of encroaching on my space. Short story long, I've acquired two new tables and one will go in the back as a more organized student center (I had one last year but it wasn't well utilized). It will house all the major supplies: extra pens/pencils, correcting pens, stapler, and 3 turn-in bins (math, science, late/absent). It will also have a missing work log for the student helpers to check off and monitor who has three missing work slips. There will be separate pass-back bins for work I've graded that student helpers can work on organizing in homeroom. Under the table will be the portfolio bins that took up way too much precious counter space last year. If I can focus more on student jobs this should alleviate much of the needless stress and choas. I'll post some pictures of the stuff I've gathered.


Whew. Okay, you can tune back in non-teachers. Here are my home to-do list items with a brief update:
- Paint the downstairs bathroom: probably not happening. Over the last year I have painted so much, and I'm feeling a bit burnt out. Plus there are actually 9 walls in the bathroom with three doorways and it would be a huge paint. Did I mention it's also dark blue? I would love to paint it, but I'm not sure if I can muster the motivation.

- Finish wall decor in living room: I will probably still order the ceiling medallions. If they don't turn out to "fit" the living room they can always go upstairs. It's about $80 to order 5, which isn't bad, I just haven't bitten the bullet.

- Decorate master bathroom: We found wall hooks on clearance at Pier 1 and got 2 to hold our towels. They will probably go behind the door since that's one of the only places a towel can hang. That still leaves new curtains, some sort of art on the one big wall, and blinds/etching the window.

- Pillow Covers for the Couch: Well, I'm making slight progress with this one. As I mentioned in this post, we will eventually be moving the sectional upstairs into the rumpus room. But, that's a ways off as it doesn't quite mesh with our financial goals. But back to pillows. I had been putting it off because measuring fabric and sewing is not exactly my forte. Then I ran across this method through pinterest where there is knot any sewing involved. Get it? Anyway, I haven't tried it yet but I plan on using the ol' JoAnn's coupon to procure some fabric to try. If not I supppoooose I can try sewing one. No promises. I would like to get this done, though!

- Gallery Wall: Yes. Happening. I checked my 6 cans of white spray paint, however, and I think I'm about out. I'm fairly decided that I will do a small gallery wall outside the bathroom door in the entry hallway. I've seen many-a gallery wall that is totally overdone and stressful to look at, and I'd like to steer clear. However, the nook in the main hallway will be a great place to show some art that has been sitting patiently (like my Fife city map from Jenna Sue!). I have all the frames in a bag from when I planned it in the past, now it's a matter of doing.

- Something for the classroom: Consider that done. Moving on.

- Scrapbooking/Card Making: Happening Thursday at a home near you. Will post my creations.

- Plan for rumpus room: I better bring it. Oh, it's already been brought. We have a plan, which = moving sectional upstairs and buying the biggest TV we can find, but... not yet. We set up the hoosier as a little bar, but right now there is just a table that I do my homework at and some extra furniture in there... Someday...

- Other crafts:

- Finish giant wood art (already assembled, just needs stained) for landing

- Make book-page dahlias for above master bed:

- Hang all the things that are waiting to be hung...
- Stop doing finish doing schoolwork
- Exercise more

Ha! Someday. Hopefully I can make your head explode in a few weeks with all the awesome stuff I've done!

Finally crafting.

Well, I'm starting to become less of a bump on a log and getting a few projects going. Of course there are other projects I still need to start/finish on my list, but I got excited about a few new ones. That always seems to happen.

The only complete project I have to show you is one that didn't take very long. I saw a "pin" of this DIY from The Painted Hive and knew immediately I must do this. We've been looking for a floor lamp for our living room since there is no ceiling lighting, but hadn't found one we especially liked or wanted to pay for. Enter the tripod lamp.

Hello Beautiful. I've been wanting to buy a lamp kit and turn something into a lamp, but hadn't found anything. However, I happen to have a cheap metal music stand from my cello-ing days.

I had to modify it a bit by sawing off a bit of the top part where the actual music stand part goes, but other than that it was ready. Well, no. I'm lying. My dad sawed off that piece and then made the bottom of the lamp kit fit snugly onto it by smashing the rod a bit. He's so handy.

The bright silver wasn't cutting it, so I bought some Oil-Rubbed Bronze Rustoleum spray paint ($5) and got to work. It only took about 2 coats so it was super fast (except when it randomly rained and messed up the paint a bit)... Then I got a $10 shade at Ikea. Altogether it was probably $25 for the paint, lamp kit, and shade, but the satisfaction of creating such a neat piece is... cliche coming... priceless. Can't find my camera charger so phone photos will suffice.

Also, I got a kitten. Yes, I just got an adult cat a few months ago. This was a spur of the moment (sort of) decision and I was in a bit of trouble for coming home with this sweet baby girl who is currently walking all over the keyboard. She's about two month old and weighs what feels like a pound. Carlton is transitioning well from what we can see and we're enjoying seeing them interact and having them around. Since I surprised John with her, I gave him the change to name her... which I regret because currently his top pick is Hurricane... I think he's doing it to drive me crazy. My vote goes to Mabel or Edith, which I think would fit quite nicely with Carlton's classy name. Anyway, get ready to say "awww"

Couch Ouches.

Well, we've decided what we want to do with the bonus room. We're going to move the sectional up there and get a TV (eventually) so it's a comfortable hang out area. So, in the living room were going to get a new couch and side chairs. I think a lighter colored couch can still be comfortable but more fancy/stylish looking. I'm looking at the linen/oatmeal/tweed type fabric and color and I'm excited about how I think it will look.

When we bought the sectional we paid around $700 for it and while we still like it, we can tell that we got what we paid for. The bottom cushions slide out all the time and the back cushions have already started sagging. So, we know that getting a quality sofa is a priority if we don't want to keep buying them.

However, we're under a bit of sticker shock looking at what a quality couch really costs. There is a Bassett/Selden's/Thomasville in our town, so we hit it up just to get some ideas. Bassett makes custom couches and we liked that we could get exactly what we wanted without compromise.

This is what we like:

But not the price tag.

So, we'll see what we decide. I don't think we're in a hurry to do anything until we figure it out for sure.

Productive Shopping Day!

Well, I tried going to the mall yesterday and shopping for clothes, but that held my attention for about 10 minutes before I had a panic attack at the 2-story Forever 21 and left. Today I had better luck at Michael's, Ross, and Target.

Bought a tray to try out some stuff. Hoping to back some cool looking turn-in trays for my classroom.

Canvases can be expensive. I found these paint by numbers for 3 dollars and can easily paint over them!

The $1 stamp bin at Michael's is my weakness. 

A turquoise planter for somewhere in the house... $4!

LOVE these ceramic egg cartons. Each was $2.50. No idea what I will use them for. 

Oh yeah, and a while ago I got these deals:

These 2 hurricanes and flickering candles (the kind with batteries) were on super mega clearance at Target a few weeks ago. Big hurricane: from $20 to $5. Small hurricane: From $14 to $3.50. Woo hoo!

This cute gray purse at Goodwill for $4. It's the perfect size to hold everything, has three separate sections, and is in great condition (i.e. no weird crumbs or stains inside and no marks outside!)

In other news, I am preparing for what I imagine to be an incredible game night. It's a little more than a week away, but I was too excited and started planning. My dream has finally come true and I have found people who have agreed to a Minute to Win It game night! I'll be driving up to see some of my college friends/coworkers and we'll be playing games later in the night. Boy did I feel judged going through the checkout line with: ping pong balls, pantyhose, a pedometer, balloons, straws, cups, a clipboard, a sweatband, and playing cards (among other things). Don't all of these random items add up to a good time? I sure hope so.

I also made instruction cards. I've been trying to figure out how to set up a game night for this game and how to award points, since the TV show isn't based that way. On each of the cards I rated the difficulty of the game 1-3, so if they complete the challenge they get between 1 and 3 points. This way it's still fairly loose in the directions and other teams can try, but there's still a bit of competitiveness. Hopefully they'll all buy it!

In other news, we've got all different plans for this weekend. A drive-in tonight, bbq tomorrow, Wings n' Wheels air/car show on Sunday, and who knows what on Monday. I always feel an obligation to make it count since this is one of the few three-day weekends John gets. We'll see!