I'm a runner.

O.k., so really I'm a jogger. I ran a 5k today in a Turkey Trot in Frederick, MD. I am new to the whole running thing so my time is still really slow. I finished in 41:56. I know this is a lot of time, but I finished it still running and still alive. I also wasn't last which was my main goal. I had a lot of fun and hope to make this a tradition. Here are some before and after pictures. Notice my really red face in the after.

In December, I plan to do a Jingle Bell Run. In this race, everyone wears jingle bells as they run. I love the sound of Jingle Bells.

I feel like traveling.

I'm so wanting to go somewhere!!! We are not planning on going to Texas or Oregon until Summer, but the cool weather and holidays are making me want to be a tourist. I think Jason should take me to Philly. It would be a quick, inexpensive day trip. And besides, I've always wanted to try a Philly steak and cheese sub (never had one). If you think Jason should take me to Philly, then please post a comment on my blog saying so.

Thank you for your support.

Why I Haven't Blogged

5:45am -Wake up and get ready for school.
8:00am to 3:20pm- Teach.
3:20pm to 4:00pm- Attend boring faculty meeting. (They've got great snacks though!)
4:00pm to 4:45pm- Drive to go and tutor.
4:45pm to 4:55pm-Wait for student to show up.
4:55pm to 5:55pm-Tutor.
5:55pm to 6:45pm-Walk with my friend Jodie.
6:45pm to 7:00pm-Drive Home.
7:00pm to 8:45pm-Come home cook, eat, and clean.
9:00pm--Should have graded papers, but went to my friend Suzie's house. Will have to get up at 5:15 tomorrow to make up for not grading tonight.
10:00pm-Shower.
10:45pm-Bed time.

I'm sooooooooo ready for Thanksgiving Break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Acne

Why is it that I am 30 years old and I am still battling acne? What's up with that?

GRRRRRR!

Giant Pumpkins

Every year, I am always intrigued by giant pumpkins. I love seeing the picture in the paper every year of the farmer beside his prized pumpkin. It seems unreal that a vegetable can get that big. Also, once you grow it, what do you do with it.

I was surfing and I found this picture of a giant pumpkin kayak race. Evidently, these farmers carve their pumpkins into kayaks and then race them. Pretty cool.

Sometimes it pays to be old

Last night, Jason and I went to Wal-Mart at 10:15. As we were walking in, the greeter told us the doors were closed and we couldn't come in. We went back to the parking lot and got in the car. As we were leaving, a car pulled up to the door and the passenger got out. She was an older lady with a cane. I couldn't believe it, but the greeter let her in. I told Jason that I am going to begin keeping a gray wig and a cane in my car so I can buck the system.

weather.com

I love weather.com. I check it at least once a day. My favorite is the hour-by-hour forecast.

Library Card

I have a library card!!!! I haven't had one in years. Since I am tutoring at the library, I decided to get one.

Here is my first check-out:

Portuguese Language Tapes--(hoping to better my portuguese)
Trader Joe's (a book on how the business came to be and the inspiration behind it.)

I'm off to read!!!!

Things that Amuse a Language Person

Since I love languages, it is very difficult not to read even when I know that what I'm looking at aren't words. For example, I always have trouble reading the signs that say POW / MIA. I always have a picture in my head of a cute girl named Mia that is getting beat up.

I also always try to pronounce the letters on blogs that are used for security verification. Sometimes they can be really funny. Here are a few for you to try. Let me know your favs.

Extra dough

I have a tutoring job 2 days a week. Woo Hoo! I little extra cash never hurts.

Let me hear you say woo hoo!

Public Restrooms and Cell Phones

I always feel a little weird going into a public restroom and happening on someone who is talking on their cell phone. It happened to me twice tonight.

Anyone else with me?

Voice Lessons

Today I am starting voice lessons. I'm only taking 2, 30 minute lessons a month from the wife of our pastor of Community Groups. I am sooooo excited. I've always wanted to take but never have had the opportunity.

Todd--I hope she'll help me perfect "Victory Chant". (Even though I don't know how it can get any better.) :)

The Taste of Food

So I read in this book once that if you want to get the most taste out of a meal then you should eat one bite of one thing and then eat something else on your plate. If you don't do this then after the 2nd bite or so of the same thing, your taste buds aren't suprised anymore. What do you think? Do you eat all of one thing before you move on to the next or do you like to mix it up?

Women's Retreat

I went on a women's retreat this past weekend and had a fabulous time. Sometimes it is a gamble going on things like this because sometimes they can be cheesy and too emotional. This wasn't at all like other women's functions that I've attended in the past. The speaker was solid and there wasn't a huge cry fest at the end. I loved it. I've attached a picture of me some others that were there. We look a little weary because we took an interpretive dance class. I fell more than danced. I just don't think I have what it takes.

Super Suppers

I'm so exited about this place. There is a new one in Hanover, PA (30 min. from my house). I happened to go by there and see they were having their grandopening. I pulled in and they were giving away 1 free entree. I got Parmesean Crusted Talapia. Mmmmm!

Check it out ladies. It might be putting the end to the question, "What am I going to fix for dinner?"

http://www.supersuppers.com/

A Day Off

I am out of school today becuase it is a voting day. All the polls are located in the schools so we can't go. Today I plan to work on a quilt that I started last year. I got bogged down because I ran out of a certain fabric and then we moved. I sent a swatch of the fabric to my mom and she found it. They have a huge fabric store in OR that has everything.
Well, I'm off to quilt.

Pizza Stress

Anyone else ever get really stressed out by ordering pizza? It all starts when the pizza guy/girl answers the phone almost out of breath: "Thankyouforcalling(pizzaplace)canIhelpyou?" In the background you always hear sounds like hammering and metal objects scrapping together while other phone lines are ringing off the hook. I can't even imagine why making pizza requires all that noise. Anyway, you can tell by the frantic voices and the noise in the background that you need to make your decision fast. To make matters more confusing, on your end you have people around you saying things like: "I don't like mushrooms!", "Anything but green peppers.", or "All we eat is Cheese." Then by the time you actually decide on the best deal and the type of pizza everyone would like, you have to figure out which kind of crust you want for each pizza, but that's not all. What about trying to calculate the most pizza for the least amount of money and wondering if your coupon is a good deal? Now comes the decision of which size pizza will feed your hungry group? And of course, the age old question "How many slices are in a large?" By the time your pizza actually gets to your house (at least 45 minutes) you are still too stressed out to eat? Usually in my experience, I spend way more money than I want and always get too much pizza.

One more thought: If the pizza guys are really working as hard as it sounds when I call, and I am being rushed so much to make a decision, why is it that it still takes 45 minutes to bring pizza only 5 miles to my house?

Bruchko

I just finished one of the books on my Summer reading list. I'm still reading the others.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you like missionary stories, this one is full of countless acts of God's faithfulness to reveal Himself to man. This book is a gem.

I know, I know I haven't blogged in a while. I couldn't think of anything worthwhile to say. I did have one really funny story to tell, but I couldn't tell it in this forum. It involved me in the bathroom at Wal-Mart. It is definately for girls only.

New Laptop

I have a new school laptop. I am soooo excited! My laptop case is a backpack. Woo hoo!

First Day Back

Well, I'm back at school. I got my teaching assignment for this year. I'll be teaching four classes of Spanish and one class of Reading. My class sizes are really large which is a little overwhelming. In my Spanish classes I will have about 37 students in each class.

My goals for this next school year:

1. Remember to take my class to the Beginning of the Year assembly. (I forgot last year and my entire class walked in 3 minutes before it ended. As soon as my students sat down, the pricipal dismissed everyone.)

2. Wear mascara everyday. (Last year I forgot to wear it 2 or 3 times. I look scary without it since my eyelashes are blonde.)

3. Get my work done at school and not bring it home.

4. Wear the same shoes. (Last year I showed up with one blue and one black shoe on.)

5. Pack my lunch the night before. (This will help me not to run late in the mornings.)