My Heart Beats for . . .

So, I was telling this story to my roomies, and they convinced me to write it for the rest of you to read.

I met this boy, we'll call him Mitch, at a singles activity up the canyon. We played ping-pong for quite awhile, exchanged phone numbers, and that was that. He called me a few days later, and we talked for awhile. He then proceeded to invite me to come donate blood at a blood drive that he was in charge of.

I was diligent that day--eating and drinking as one should if they are going to donate blood. It was nothing new, as I've donated blood several times. In college, ARUP used to call me to come donate because I have "baby blood," which apparently means I don't have an antibody to something, I can't remember. ANYWAY, so I this was not the first time I'd been pricked for a cause.

When I arrived, I filled out all the paperwork, chatted with Mitch, and waited. Then, they took my blood pressure and pulse. Blood pressure, check. It was fine. Pulse . . . well, this is where it gets interesting and a little bit funny. They said that I couldn't donate because my pulse was beating too fast. Yeah, it slowed down, but by then I was so embarrassed that I quickly took my stuff and left.

Moral of the story? Don't try to donate blood when talking with someone you potentially like. . .

If Only They Could See Me Now . . .

I love my new apartment and roomies! It's one of the best living situations that I've had in awhile, minus one element: my piano. Those of you who know me best, know that I love to play that darn piano. I love it so much, I've paid to move it, store it, and move it again. Okay, so some of you are thinking, "Wait a second! I helped move that darn piano!" Yes, and I love you for it. But, I had to pay for 2 trucks now to get it moved. ANYWAY, I like it a lot! So, back to my story. I miss not being able to play the piano. It helps me relieve my stress on a crazy day. So, three times so far since I've moved, I've taken some time to go down to the storage unit, opened the door, and played that piano. Yep, right there in the storage unit. It actually has beautiful acoustics! :) The trick is not too go too early because it's so hot! The early evening is the perfect time. I'm sure many people have wondered if they are just hearing things or what. So, now you know how big of a dork I really am. I'm sure when my parents were paying for piano lessons, they never thought the obsession would go this far. If only . . .

A Hot Day

So, the other day, I was in the copy room--making copies nonetheless. I wanted to make some overhead transparencies for fluency. I had a stack of my master papers, and I put them in the copier. I opened the cupboard, looked at the box and read, "Plain Paper Copier Transparencies." I took a stack, put them in the copy machine. No sooner had I hit the "Copy" button then I reached down to take out my copies, when half of a transparency came out. Yeah, that's not supposed to happen. . . I quickly turned off the machine, opened it up, and there, wrapped around the heating element, was half of a melted transparency. Looking back through the box, I noticed that someone had put their "extras" into the box, mixing them in with the regular ones. I proceded to pull out little pieces with my fingers, burning the tips along the way. Finally, the machine cooled down enough to where it hardened, which might not have been a good thing. The remaining pieces hardened and got stuck. I had to call the office, tell them I broke the machine, and they called the repair person. Before he came, the lady from the office and I tried one more time, with her trusty tweezers, to free the pieces. No luck. Thankfully, he was just across the street and came right over and fixed it. Yes, he was upset. No, he didn't know my name. :) It was fixed so quick that nobody ever knew what happened, but I was sure worried! In fact, here it is a couple weeks later, and I still haven't attempted to make tranparencies. So, until enough time has passed and it's funny enough to talk about with the other teachers, we are just secretly referring to this as "a hot day in the copy room."

Student Surveys

I had my students complete a short survey where they were required to write a little information on their family, likes and dislikes, etc. When reading them, here are a few of the questions and answers that really made my day:

* My family members are: 35 and 36 (Mom and Dad)
* I like it when my teachers: are under 40 years old.
* This year I am ooking forward to learning about: Utah History (I replied: That's fantastic--but we're studying World History!) :)
* I like it when my teachers: reward me for doing what I'm supposed to be doing anyway.
*If I could change one thing about school, it would be: make recess all day, no work and no rules. and a second sheet said: to have recess all day long (I replied on these sheets that we would then have to call this a "vacation.").
*If I could change anything about the school, it would be: our room, because I want the classroom to be like a house.
*This year I am looking forward to learning about: water animals. (I have no idea where this came from . . .)

These are just a few of the funny replies that the students wrote. I also had the parents do a survey on their students. The answers are so honest, and they help me know my students even better. What wonderful kids! I have a feeling it's going to be a wonderful, although challenging, year.

Justice

Ah, sweet justice. Or something like that! Yesterday, I was subpoenaed to be a witness in a court trial for an accident that I was involved in. I had to be at the court house at 1:15pm in order to not be in contempt of court. Long story short--they kept moving the case back, and finally at 6:35, 11 cases later, they called the case. Then, there was a short recess, and the case was settled without going to trial. They just looked at me and said, "You're free to go." After sitting there all that time, that was it. Kind of ridiculous. They are giving me $18 for my time. I'm not even sure why they give a stipend! Anyway, I've enough court proceedings and trials than I ever want to see again!

The Ultimate Question

School started again yesterday, and so begins the daily ritual that is 6th grade. I have a great class! They are enthusiastic, hard working, and very funny. Today, after giving them time to discuss some get to know you questions in small groups, I let them have a short question/answer session with me. They asked the funniest questions. They wanted to know what my favorite foods were, where I had traveled in the past, who was in my family, what music I enjoy, if I was married or had kids, where I went to school, and my hobbies. Then, at the very end, this little guy said, "Ms. Husbands, can I ask one more question? Have all your dreams come true?" I smiled and told him not yet, but I'm still hoping they will. Kids say the darndest things!

No Ma'am!

So, the other day I was at a store and the little girl at the register said, "Have a good day, Ma'am." I was kind of horrified. First of all, when did I go from being a Miss to a Ma'am? It sounds so old and grandma-like. I wasn't even wearing a house dress or rollers in my hair! Second of all, this little girl was not little--married and all she was--just very young. Do younger people automatically give this title to those who are older? I think being married is the cutoff for Miss--you automatically are a Mrs. and therefore should also be considered a Ma'am. Is there a certain age where one can no longer be called a Miss but must be a Ms. or Ma'am? I still feel young, and could be considered so, so for all purposes I'm fighting the movement! That's Miss Husbands to you! :)

Pimp Your Blog

So, for the last hour I've been trying to "Pimp My Blog" and have been very unsuccessful! Now, my blog just looks sad! I can't figure out where I went wrong in the code, but hopefully I will sooner than later. Hopefully I won't delete my whole blog either! Wish me luck!

Nonbuyer's Remorse

So, lately I've been trying to be a saver, not a spender. The whole concept is going quite well, except for one thing: Nonbuyer's Remorse. Now, we all know about Buyer's Remorse--that feeling of dread or disappointment after making a purchase and then realizing that whatever we bought is not living up to our (often unrealistic) expectations. Well, a few weeks ago, I saw these great shoes on sale. However, being the saver, I decided not to get them. Yes, they were on sale for $12 down from $50, and yes, they were super cute, but alas, just shoes. Now, I find myself wishing that I would have bought them. I've even gone back to the store, but they were gone. Oh, the disappointment of Nonbuyer's Remorse. Don't worry, this too shall pass. :)

The Saga Continues . . .

This song should be sung to the tune of “I Like Balloons.” I don’t know where this tune came from, but if you’re lucky enough to know it, take it away! Go, Krystle! (I think she taught me this tune, somewhere in my mind).

Oh, I love blue shoes
Oh, I love blue shoes
Oh, I love blue shoes
I love blue shoes

I love blue shoes
I ordered a ½ sandwich
And got a whole one
I love blue shoes

I love blue shoes
‘Cause they are comfy
And they are blue
I love blue shoes

Wearing those blue shoes
I got a deal on tires
Free is quite the deal
I love blue shoes

Oh, I love blue shoes
Oh, I love blue shoes
Oh, I love blue shoes
I love blue shoes

I love blue shoes
Sometimes they’re lucky
Sometimes they’re not
I love blue shoes

I love blue shoes
Through broken ankles
And 12 hour scenic drives
I love blue shoes

Oh, unlucky blue shoes
Oh, I love blue shoes
Oh, unlucky blue shoes
I love blue shoes

Yes, I know I’m ridiculous. And, yes, this is the end.

Bird Walking

The other day, Misty and I took a trip to Target to buy groceries. Located just down the road from my apartment, we decided to walk there and back (This decision was based on the fact that if we walked, we wouldn’t buy as much because we would have to carry it home). On our way, we passed a couple taking a leisurely walk. As we approached each other, Misty and I noticed that the man had a bird on his shoulder. It was a multi-colored bird, like a parrot, but smaller. It was just sitting on the man’s shoulder as the couple walked down the street. It looked as if they were turning and going into Starbucks located just on the corner.

On our way back from Target, we again passed the same couple. This time the woman was carrying the bird on her shoulder. What a funny sight! I don’t really understand the concept of taking your bird for a walk, but let’s just hope that they don’t run into someone “walking” their cat or dog! Good luck, bird walkers!

On second thought, I guess one could say that the bird was actually walking the humans. .

SILENCE!!!

Silence—I want it! Sometimes I just love the sound of nothing. It seems that some days my life is so busy and noisy. Teachers talking, kids chatting, bells, whistles, traffic, and even the hum of a computer are all noises that I sometimes need to be rid of. So, on a night like this, I usually come home, close the blinds, and rest on the couch in the dark. Sometimes I read a book or listen to music. However, often times my sweet silence is interrupted by the roaring engine of a jet landing or taking off from Hill Air Force Base. The base, not even a mile from my house, is definitely not a bonus when it comes to looking for housing. The noise wasn’t that bad until about a month ago when flight patterns were changed. Now, if a jet flies by, I can’t even hear someone sitting next to me. The worst part is that the jets usually begin flying at ten or eleven o’clock at night. It’s insane. I sometimes think that because of this noise, rent should be cheaper in this area. Alas, it is not. I guess it’s as they say: Silence is Golden.

I Heart Quilts

I love quilts! Blankets, throws, quilts. No matter what word you use, I love those things that you wrap up in to keep yourself toasty warm at night. During college, I had no less than 7 layers on my bed at a time. Maybe this is because it was sometimes cold. Maybe it’s because I like the weight of the blankets on me, or maybe it’s because I’m ridiculous. Whatever the reason, I love them.

Some people may think having so many quilts is strange, but nobody ever goes without one when it’s cold, when we’re watching a movie, or when staying over. Maybe I have this need to feel prepared. Some people have a cannery in their basement. Others have 72 hour kits for the neighborhood. Me, I have oodles of quilts. Maybe they’ll come in handy if we have a disaster and for some strange reason everyone’s naked. ANYWAY, point being—I love quilts.

Here is a picture collage of all of the quilts that I own. Some of them I bought, others were given to me, and some were made by me. Enjoy, and always remember to bundle up!

The Write Obsession

So, I have an obsession with pens. Really, the obsession is with office supplies in general, but pens come right at the top of the list. This obsession is also common among a few of my family members, so I figure it’s an inherited thing. Ask Kevin or Michael where they are hiding their pen stash.

Why pens? I always am carrying a number of writing utensils in my pocket, whether it be a whiteboard marker, pencil, pen, or crayon (Hey, what do you expect from an elementary school teacher?). I transport them between my home, car, and class like they’re going out of style. Counting my classroom and apartment, I have no less than 8 containers that hold utensils of the writing kind. I know--it’s ridiculous!

Every once in awhile, I’ll go through them, throwing out the bad ones and keeping the good. But sometimes I save them because I think that they still could be good. It’s like I’m afraid of throwing away a pen. Funny thing is---sometimes no matter how hard I look, I can’t find one. For example, like when I’m at the bank trying to make a deposit. Everyone’s been there—digging around in your car or purse for a pen. It’s ridiculous!

My favorite type of pen is a blue ink then black. I hate red pens, and I really don’t care for colored ones either. With this obsession, you would think that I would have a set of really nice pens. Nope, not the case. I hate those, too. My favorite type of pen comes in a pack of 10 for .98 at Wal-Mart. Cheesy but true. They are ball point pens, medium, with blue or black ink. What can I say? They consistently write the best out of all the pens that I own. But for some reason . . . I can never seem to find one when I need it.

Ace of Cakes

I consider myself a pretty craft person, and as Rosie says, “Crafting and cooking are the same thing, just using different materials.” (Well, she said something like that on Rachel Ray the other morning). Some of my crafty adventures include quilting, painting, scrap booking, crocheting, and dabbling in oil pastels and watercolors.



More recently, I have decided to try my hand at making cakes. Now, these aren’t just your average out of the box cakes. Okay, yes they are, but with more bling. I’ve made a couple in the past that came out pretty disastrous. Well, this weekend I decided to make a cake to take to a BBQ in Logan for my Master’s graduation and Matthew’s (my sister Kristin’s husband) graduation.



I slaved over a hot stove for hours . . . or made cakes from a box (you decide), and put them together. Then, I bought everything I needed to decorate the top. Making cakes is expensive! When the cake finally came together, it was a masterpiece of perfection. Okay, okay. It wasn’t perfect, but looked eatable. So far in my cake-making excursions, it’s the best one yet! I’m no ace of cakes, but pretty close.

DID I MENTION . . . I left the cake at home. Yep, right there on the counter. I was too far away when I remembered. So, my friends and I enjoyed cake later that week . . .