"We have to love until it hurts. It is not enough to say, I love." We must put that love into a living action, and how do we do that? By giving until it hurts." Mother Teresa

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Well that mac and cheese I made last week was delicious! This week I am making an Asian Beef and veggies dish. The recipe calls for bok choy, but I changed it to broccoli and asparagus. The asparagus was on sale so I figured why not give it a go. I am also hoping to try out an easy beef stew slow cooker recipe.

Last week ended up feeling very rushed for me. I only had one basketball game, it was a tourney game. We lost which made my weekend much more enjoyable by not having to return to Tippy Valley at 7am on Saturday. My car broke down on Monday-got that fixed ASAP. I also went to two varsity basketball games this week. One at North Miami and the other at Hamilton Heights High School. The boys varsity team at Peru has won the conference and sectionals start Friday. I am pretty excited to see them play. Friday I went to the game with Stacey and Lukas, hilarity on the car ride home. I haven't laughed that long in awhile.

This weekend was mostly spent sleeping. Yesterday I did much of nothing, and it was wonderful. Today I went into work and got my desk cleaned out. I had lots of things piling up. Tuesday we are starting ISTEP. Students and teachers are going to be exhausted. I am glad that when I was taking the ISTEP it didn't really make that big of deal how the school did or didn't do.

I have no idea how well the kids are going to do. I think most of them just don't care, and there really isn't much that I can do about that. I can't force anyone to care about anything. I had several parent meetings last week where we had to tell them that we would most likely be holding their child back if their grades/ISTEP score did not show improvement. Some of those parent meetings involved students that were held back for half of the year. I am not sure why they were advanced when they were not passing the repeated classes first semester, but none of the teachers know the answer to that question.


I haven't really been reading lately-no time. Basketball ends on the 8th, and we started academic super bowl last week. I like to call it nerd herd.

I bought some tulips last week to help bring in some spring time to my apartment. They did the job and then died...I think I am going to buy a couple of flower pots and plant some flowers on my balcony. I want to get a spider plant or something for my classroom.

Tootles!!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

New Recipe

So I have been trying to make new things. Lately I have of course been leaning towards things that are easy, and that involve like two (three at the max) pans. Tonight I made http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/super-cheesy-baked-macaroni-55459.aspx It is the super cheesy baked macaroni. It smells delicious and I have not yet taken a bite-it's cooling down. But I did modify the recipe slightly. Instead of adding bacon (I don't care for bacon flavor) I added tuna, and for crunch on top I added Italian bread crumbs. I also used the four cheese kraft mac and cheese. I think this recipe is going to be a keeper, and it was really easy to make.

I am really looking forward to seeing the new Alice in Wonderland movie. I love Tim Burton, and of course Johnny Depp, and Anne Hathaway.

Hope everyone has a great work week!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Wednesdays

Yay the week is half way over!

I have been trying to make something (dinner, desserts, etc.) new each week. A couple of weeks ago it was peanut-butter cookies, then a pot roast, and today it was a taco pizza. I never come up with the recipes on my own. I have a couple go-to places like annieeats (the link is on the side of my blog), and my cookbooks. I got the pot roast from campbellssoup.com and the pizza from kraft.com

I bring in my baked goods to work because my newest theory has been improving morale one baked good at a time. Tuesday I had quite a few fellow teachers asking me where the goods were. Friday I will try to bring something in. Maybe brownies, from a box I am not making those from scratch.

This past week I actually had time to read 2 different books. Both were gifts that Kim got for Christmas. They were awesome! I am currently reading the third one at night before I go to bed. I have missed reading.

This past weekend I was home, and we literally spent the weekend playing rockband, and beatles rock band. I LOVE THOSE GAMES! I am addicting and currently in withdrawal. \

Well Loki is off getting into trouble so I must go.

Tata for now!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Waiting for dinner

Well my work week is finally over. I know you are thinking what?! She had two snow days. It has been very exhausting at work lately. I am not very good at "playing the game," and I get annoyed by it. But if I must...

The state has cut funding to schools causing layoffs galore! Our school is already at a bare bones staffing, but I can be bumped out by a teacher at the high school with better seniority. I am sitting at number 1 for the lowest in seniority. Currently the government is trying to pass a bill that will allow schools to move money around to help save jobs. I hope it passes so I can keep my job. This continues to add to stress throughout my day...

Loki is doing well. Last night he decided to pee and poop in my room...wonderful odors. It is really difficult to keep a puppy from being active, and his staples were a little irritated yesterday. We are heading to my parents' house this weekend. Hopefully he doesn't go nuts chasing Jake.

Well I just got my text telling to me meet up for dinner. Los Tres (Mexican) my fav!

Have a great weekend everyone! Mine is a three day weekend yay!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Wordless Wednesday



Snow days

Well today was a snow day, as was yesterday. I am not really sure why we had one yesterday, but oh well. Yesterday I was productive and went the grocery store, made cookies, and a roast in my slow cooker. And I read a book. I am one of those people that will sit down, and read an entire book in one sitting. Thankfully Loki is still on his doggie downers to help keep him calm which allowed me to read. Yesterday I also slipped and fell flat on my back on the ice. Today I am feeling it for sure.

Quick Loki update. 5 days until the staples come out, and I have only had one infection scare. When I got home Monday after school his incision looked off. I called my vet who told me to get him to a vet when I could. I found a great vet up here that saw me right away. He said it was just irritated, and needed a steroid cream. He hasn't been licking at it too much so he doesn't wear the cone unless he is in his crate. He weighed in at 47 lbs. He has also developed some different sleeping habits, such as sleeping under my bed, under the heater in my bathroom, or under my pillows...

Today I have been lazy. I took a two hour nap, and that's about it. I have been watching SVU on my bluray player because Wednesdays always turn out to be crappy TV days.

The book I read yesterday is called "Murder 101." It is a book Kim got for Christmas that I swiped when I was at home this past weekend. I wasn't expecting much, but it held my attention all day. There were also some funny lines throughout the novel. I am hopefully going to take the second one from her when I go home this weekend. So far there are four books in this series. I don't know how Kim heard about this books, but I am glad she got them for Christmas!

This up coming weekend I am getting together with my best friend, Megan. We try to meet up when we can, but I haven't been able to see here since Thanksgiving Weekend. We are doing a Christmas gift exchange. I have no idea what I am getting her, but I have narrowed it down.


Thursday, February 4, 2010

What a day!




The incision:


Sorry for the like 2 month abandonment of the blog. Most of my time has been consumed with coaching 8th grade girl's basketball. Today was an eventful day...

It all started on Monday. Loki has a penchant for putting everything in his mouth, much like a small child. He swallowed one of my dress socks whole-like one would eat spaghetti. I waited because this has happened before, and about 12 hours later he pukes them up. I waited until about Tuesday night and I was a little worried that it had not yet come out of either end...Wednesday I started calling vets. (I had also already two basketball games this week with a third scheduled for night, and I have been fighting a nasty cold since Sunday.) I have not yet found a vet up here. I called an area vet who said as long as he continues to eat and go the bathroom (and not vomit) normally I should just be on the lookout....

Which brings me to today.

330a I hear the tell-tale signs of Loki puking. It is not a gagging sound, but a loud thumping-it's bizarre. At this point I knew that the sock was not going to come out naturally. I tried calling the vet up here to get their emergency numbers, and their message cut off before it got that far, I will be calling to inform them tomorrow. Then my internet was down, so I could do is call my vet in Indy that does have 24 hour emergency care. They told me that I better come down. So I attempted to pull myself together, and clean up the 4 pukes that occurred between 330a and 340a (no joke). After he puked he was running around and playing. Then when he heard my car keys he got really excited. I make it to Indy before 6. Excellent timing.

I get to the vet they see me immediately, took the xrays and then told me what I already knew. Surgery. Then they went through the awful cost, but I don't have much of a choice. I was told that he would be in surgery by 930. Then there would be at least a 2 day hospital stay. By 630a I have left my baby at the vet, and gone to Mom and Dad's. They were actually the third phone call I made, and I am grateful they answered, and didn't sound too pissed about the 330a wake up call. Dad greeted me with a giant hug. Then I ate and actually managed to fall back asleep.

Next thing I know Kim is waking up to let me know it was 1030a, and she was leaving for work. I called the vet to get a status update on Loki. No surgery until sometime between 12p and 1p. Ugh. I just wanted done and over so he could start recovery, and I could get back up to my place to repuppy-proof my apartment. They started surgery right before 1, and thankfully he was done by 220p.

I go in to see him around 3p. He was still very groggy, but walking. He came in walked around for 3o seconds and collapsed on the floor. My poor baby. His incision is pretty big. (pictured above. Including two pics one 30 minutes after surgery, and then 4-5 hours after surgery) I stayed for about 30 minutes, and then forced myself to leave so he could get some sleep.

The whole day my dad was very worried about me and the pup. If they had cots at the vet Dad would probably spend the night right by Loki. Well Dad stopped in after work, and called me. Loki is a little bit peppier. And very clingy. Loki is normally not a very clingy puppy, but when he doesn't feel good he does. Much like myself. Loki was already back to getting into trouble and getting into the plant they have in their waiting room. Dad did stay and nap a little bit with Loki. I wish I could be there too, but I know that the fam is going to go in a see him quite a bit until I can get back down there.

In other puppy news, at just under 6 months old Loki is beastfully weighing in at 46 pounds, has lost all of his puppy teeth, and has been graduated to full dog chow. And of course has quite the war wound from the damn sock, which was found half way through his intestine, and the sock was fully intact.