… for my age (sometimes). I am the youngest of the 5 graduate students in my ...keep reading]]> … that the fitting problems with the skirt the other day are not due to any change in my measurements. (I had to check, seeing as how I was going to attempt a different, also untried skirt pattern.)

… for my age (sometimes). I am the youngest of the 5 graduate students in my class, and yet I still feel incredibly old when I look at about half of my classmates. Also, on Monday I found out that the high schoolers in the after school program were born the year I graduated high school. Oh dear.

… for patience, though I’ve not had much of it today. (And what I’ve had has been sorely abused. But that’s not really in the spirit of thankfulness, now is it.)

… for Reese’s miniatures, which are far superior to the regular thing. I wish I had some right now.

… for time to be creative, no matter how superficial or insignificant. (Class was cancelled last night, but only after we’d all sat there for 45 minutes – devoted group, are we not? The free 2 hours were a pleasant surprise. I prepped the pattern for McCalls 5523, and then spent way too much time painting my nails and catching up on soaps on Hulu.)

… for technology that has completely changed the way we live.

… for the hope of seeing some sunshine this weekend (it’s already starting to feel like I never see daylight, with it being mostly dark when I leave for work and the sun setting shortly after getting home).

… for Diana Ross-like hair today. You’ve got to work with what you’ve got.

… for weekend plans that are not limited to homework and yard work.

… for tweezers, because, let’s be honest, sometimes hairs grow where they shouldn’t. (Though at the moment I’m “growing out” my eyebrows, and there are a few that have decided to grow perpendicular to my face, as in they’re sticking straight out from my face, and they won’t be tamed by anything. They may have to go. I had this crazy idea to re-discover the original shape of my eyebrows. I’m thinking it was a silly idea, but I’m already committed now.)

… for a husband who keeps track of little details that I would forget, like backing up the server, or paying bills.

… for the freedoms and rights we experience in America (even if it does mean I’m spending next week on jury duty).

… cooler weather outdoors (and that the temperature inside the office today has finally started to drop).

… the awesomeness of TaskStream (versus eFoliominnesota, which I won’t even link you to).

… pictures of kitties making friends with deer.

… the farmer’s market, as long as it sticks around.

… ...keep reading]]> Today, I’m thankful for…

… cooler weather outdoors (and that the temperature inside the office today has finally started to drop).

… the awesomeness of TaskStream (versus eFoliominnesota, which I won’t even link you to).

… pictures of kitties making friends with deer.

… the farmer’s market, as long as it sticks around.

… family who share the bounty of their squash harvests, especially since we didn’t do any edible gardening this year.

… tomorrow night’s Twins’ game excursion.

… nail polish and all the ways one can be creative and make oneself feel pretty with it. (Seriously, y’all, I did a terrible job last night on my nails and they still look fun and fabulous, and no one else seems to care that they’re not perfect, they’re just impressed that my nails are teal and black plaid. For real.)

… tennis shoes and flip-flops and all the other comfortable shoes that are out there.

… everyone who has been willing to entertain me on the drive home from class.

… getting the chance to complain, and then letting it go. It is what it is. Now let’s go from there.

… priorities.

… thick-cut peppered bacon.

… fabric.

… water.

… music.

… making new friends in class, and reacquainting myself with some people from the spring semester (who seem much nicer now, which is good, because there are only 4 of us who are grad students, and I know it’s incredibly snobbish and elitist of me, but there’s just such a difference).

… the internet, and how it means I can buy just about anything I can think of, teach myself lots of things, read and learn about stuff, and just generally expand my horizons.

I think I did a decent job of turning today around. Thanks for all the support!

… that I haven’t had to pick up a shovel since Sunday.

… that road construction season has to end at some point.

… that our neighbors are not re-siding their house the color we want to paint ours.

… that the second night of class is over, and perhaps now ...keep reading]]> Today, I’m thankful…

… that I haven’t had to pick up a shovel since Sunday.

… that road construction season has to end at some point.

… that our neighbors are not re-siding their house the color we want to paint ours.

… that the second night of class is over, and perhaps now I can stop blushing every time I speak up in class. (It’s uncontrollable, and darned annoying.)

… for last weekend that was filled with family, and this upcoming one that is not. (Love family, but 3 days of go-go-go was exhausting!)

… for ebooks.

… to be reminded, when things are less than rosy, that this too shall pass. (Sometimes work makes me want to scream.)

… for four years of marriage to !

Hyland's Restful Legs - If you've ever had restless legs, you might want to try this OTC homeopathic remedy. It didn't work for Mom, so it's not for everyone, but I ...keep reading]]> I’m doing Thankful Thursday a bit differently this week. Here are 7 things that are currently making my life so much better.

Hyland's Restful Legs - If you've ever had restless legs, you might want to try this OTC homeopathic remedy. It didn't work for Mom, so it's not for everyone, but I find it very effective. Whether I'm trying to fall asleep or just feeling cooped up and overtired in my cubicle, restless legs is never fun, and this puts an end to the torture.

Vanity Fair Half Slip - I just discovered this product last week, and I wish I'd found it earlier. The waistband is wide and very soft - I don't even know that I'm wearing it! It's so much more comfortable than the older style slip with the thin elastic at the waist (especially if you own one that's a size too small, which I did until last week). The wide waistband allows you to wear it wherever you want to - at your natural waist, your hips, or wherever you like.

Clark's Unstructured Shoes - I have two pair of these, and they are just fabulous. I wish all dress shoes could be this comfortable. No breaking in - from day one, they were comfortable. Also, the pair I have with the strap (like above) enable me to run to the bus from my car if I'm running late. You can't do that in most dress shoes.

OXO Pop Containers - Whoever sat down and said, storage containers should be square - he or she deserves a medal. I mean, really. What good are round containers? All that wasted space! The seal on these is really nice, too. We have a bunch, and use them for pantry items like flour and sugar, as well as other food items.

Fruit & Veggie Bowl - OK, I don't have the one above, but I have a similar one that has a container in the lid that holds the dressing, and then there's a button on the outside of the lid that you pull and it releases the dressing when you want it to, so your salad stays crisp. Loving it. The one I have is way too big for any of my lunch bags, which is unfortunate, but it's the perfect size for a lunch salad.

Humangear CapCap - It's hot, it's summer, and I'm always thirsty. I love my big Nalgene (32 oz!), and I love the wide neck (easy ice insertion), but I find it awkward to drink from (cue spilling water down front). This little guy makes the drinking part much easier, while still allowing access to the wide mouth when I need to add more ice.

Hyland's Calms Forte - I just discovered this, and I'm happy to say that it has worked well for me. I haven't been getting good sleep lately, and needed to remedy that. Mostly my problem has been falling asleep (it can take over an hour some nights, regardless of how tired I am), though lately I have been sleeping very lightly and waking up a lot too. The first time I used it, I took just one, and while it made me sleepy, it didn't really work (the dosage says 1-3). Last night I took 2, and slept like a baby! Fell asleep quickly and didn't wake up all night long. I was tired when I woke up still, but that's because I didn't get as much sleep as I should have (6 hours). When they say "no hangover feeling" like other OTC sleep aids, they really mean it. My sleepiness went away in the shower like it does every morning. No negative side effects that I can come up with. I'm looking forward to feeling well rested.

What are you thankful for, consumer product or not?

I’m thankful…

… ...keep reading]]> Haven’t done this in a while… the last few Thursdays I haven’t had my usual schedule, but things are back to normal (relatively speaking), at least this week. (Next week I could very well be managing the office as we brace for shutdown. But let’s set that thought aside for now.)

I’m thankful…

… for all the rain we’ve been getting. The new grass seed we planted on the corner is doing well, as is the rest of the yard. And the weeds. And the mushrooms. We have very fertile soil. Next year when I’m gardening again, I’ll be very thankful for that. Also, I think the rain has prevented our chainsaw-yielding neighbor from making noise all weekend long.

… for birthday week! Starting Monday, I’ve received at least one birthday card every day this week. It’s like birthweek! It’s helping ease the blow of 33 (which is turning out to seem way worse than 30).

… I don’t feel 33. Not a day over 26. Seriously. (I could have gone younger, but I have been married for nearly 4 years, and we own a house. 26 seems old enough for all that.)

… for all of my nearly-33 years. Not that all of them were pleasant, but they have all shaped me and my life, for which I am thankful. Because I’m happy.

… that I have the summer off of school. I enjoy not having homework.

… for a governor who has refused to sign a bill reducing the state workforce by [insert percent here - it doesn't really matter what percent, though the last number I heard was 15]%. I enjoy being employed. Though I’ve worked here 8 1/2 years, I still have almost no seniority, so if we shrink, I’ll probably get bumped. I’d rather not. It’s nice working for someone who appreciates and understands the value of the work I [we] do. (That goes for everyone from my immediate boss up to the governor, because I really do feel like they understand and value us.)

… that we got the ceiling up! It sounds like we’ll have house guests early next week, so it’s a good thing that we’re done with that. Now we’ll be able to get the spare bedroom presentable before they arrive.

… for whoever it is that introduced one of my friends to Bar Abilene, which has been our (my girlfriends and me, that is) go-to place for get togethers. I am eagerly anticipating guacamole and margaritas tonight.

… that children don’t sleep with blankets right away, because ‘s quilt will not be done by the end of the month, but he will be moving to a big boy bed July 1. Wouldn’t want him to be cold!

… for the cute conversation relayed to me, wherein asked her if was going to have a “J” blanket like his. That made me smile.

… for opportunities to be creative, whether presented to me or just taken when I see them.

… for the dress I’m wearing today, which makes me feel pretty and grown-up, similar to yesterday’s outfit, which made me feel professional and business-like (black floral Anne Klein silk shell that I bought on ebay with black pants – apparently it made me look skinny too, because I was asked if I lost weight, which is the opposite of reality).

… for the cavities I had filled last week (no really, stay with me here). They were in the very front of my mouth, and I had to actively talk myself out of being terrified, because that needle of novocaine, right up there in the top front gums, that’s no fun at all. It wasn’t really that bad in the end, but I’m using the terror and extreme dislike of the experience to force myself to floss every night and rinse with fluoride. I’m hoping that if I visualize that every night, I won’t get lazy and take a day (or month) off, and then I will have fewer cavities. It could work.

… for very thoughtful co-workers, who always remember my birthday despite the fact that we don’t celebrate birthdays here. Tomorrow someone is bringing treats to celebrate the June birthdays (myself and the other redhead, whose birthday was last week), which is pretty awesome since we don’t do that.

… for guests coming next week, which means that, for a short time, my house will be very clean. I’m even going to wash the bathroom floor. Yech.

… for the guy at Caribou who remembers my name every morning and greets me with a smile. It’s nice to interact with someone who is happy to see me that early in the morning (even if it’s just his job to be friendly and a morning person). It’s also nice that he’s not 18. (The last person I had a good rapport with was a guy at the tea place downtown, which has since closed. He was friendly and it was enjoyable to talk with him. I’m totally cool with my service person flirting a bit with me. It’s not real – it’s just their job. Anyway. At one point, months into our interaction, in the process of telling me a story he mentioned his age. He was 18. That kind of took all the fun out if the experience and made me feel icky. I could have sworn he was 25. Not that it mattered. I was married. But still, a little harmless flirtation with my coffee was fun and games until that point.)

… for Caribou’s chocolate selections, which are all decaf.

… for my Rav, which has made furnishing our family room so much easier. It also makes trips to Home Depot easy, and it’s fun to park it next to the trucks near the “Contractor” section of the lot. I’m easily amused, apparently. You would be too if you spent as much time at Home Depot as we do.

… for Twitter, which is the only way I learned that sign-ups for the next Doll Quilt Swap just opened up. I didn’t participate in the last round, and had stopped checking the group message boards, so I wouldn’t have known if someone hadn’t tweeted about it. (Well, if I wasn’t so behind on blog reading, I probably would have found out that way, but my reader has about 300 unread items right now, and that’s after I unsubscribed to a ton of stuff.)

… for all my life experiences that make it easier to deal with persons with mental illness. It doesn’t happen a lot here at work, but when it does, it’s good to be understanding and compassionate.

… for the little opportunities to make someone else’s day a bit better. I don’t take advantage of all of them, but I feel better about myself when I do. And I’m thankful for all the people I interact with who take the opportunity to make others’ days better too. The world is just a nicer, friendlier place.

I was going to say that the highlight of my day was the voicemail I got from , telling me about how his hand got hurt and that he got a sucker. But, I called when I was done with volunteering and got to talk to him in person. And then and I talked for a while, and that definitely takes the cake as for “best part of day.” Can I tell you how much I love talking about education, and processing it? I find it thrilling. Also, she had some good ideas for me to float as options.

purchased the much-anticipated Portal 2 on Tuesday, and “finished” it last night around 10:30. I only say that because it meant that I was left to my own devices for all of Tuesday and Wednesday nights, hence all the sewing.

So… that was me trying to be concise. Now you know why I laughed at the idea of a 4 page paper – I can do that in my sleep. Though it’s not in my typical format, I think the above fits for my Thursday Thankful Thoughts.

What are you thankful for? (Be as concise or verbose as necessary.)

Cascade-Cozy Shrug completed! Gee, that drapey part in the middle is long! (It gets longer with wear....)

Maybe tying it in the front? Hrm, not the best look for me.

Wrap-around? Better. If I wear it for a while, it stretches enough that the ties wrap around to the front. Ahem.

The lettuce edge that I worked so hard on. You would not believe how much thread this takes up. But isn't it pretty? A fitting finish, I thought.

… getting connected with a great cooperating teacher for my field experience (before our field experience coordinator left the program last week – that’s right, left – chaos has ensued). He’s enthusiastic, laid back, flexible, (a grad of the program I’m in right now too), and willing to let me ...keep reading]]> Today, I’m thankful for…

… getting connected with a great cooperating teacher for my field experience (before our field experience coordinator left the program last week – that’s right, left – chaos has ensued). He’s enthusiastic, laid back, flexible, (a grad of the program I’m in right now too), and willing to let me do anything I want in the classroom… now if only I could think of something to do with 9th-12th grade social studies classes (studying mostly econ). Bummer I haven’t thought about that at all.

… the beautiful weather we’re having right now in Minnesota. It could not be nicer outside. Seriously.

… the snow that is gone from our house and yard. Well, there may have been a few bits hanging on yesterday – I didn’t check. But it’s 65* today, and hasn’t been below freezing in about a week, so what little is left doesn’t stand a chance.

… speaking of good weather, I took a walk yesterday. Outside. Without a coat. In short sleeves. And I got hot! (Sorry if you follow me on Twitter and already heard me say those exact words.) I walked to Michael’s last night to exchange a jewelry finding that I had purchased broken – trying to return it was a bit confusing, especially since they didn’t have one for me to exchange it with and I didn’t have a receipt and there was a sale and the clerk was… interesting. But, they took it back, and I got some other stuff. I didn’t get anything that I came for (I made a list and everything), because apparently I can’t get what I want at real stores, only online. So… making jewelry this weekend with and should be interesting, or at least creative. Did I mention I walked there?

… two healthy babies born to friends’ wives this week (within 8 hours of each other). Everyone is healthy and happy and home.

… being at the school today made me excited about teaching again (despite all the negative news lately). Because, let’s face it, teenagers are awesome and they make me smile. I’ve missed them since I left my last church.

… and I have the face frame for our built-in completely assembled! And it only took us a month! (OK, most of that month was spent recovering from that power tool accident and then just lazing about. It really took about two days – they were just really spread apart.)

… I’m no longer feeling dragged down by school. This is good, since there are three weeks left (really? that can’t be right), and I could be feeling complacent about it all. It’s amazing what good weather can do for a girl’s spirit.

… I think I could be a cheerleader right now. Clearly the good weather (had to walk a ridiculous distance from where I parked my car downtown) and the not-decaf iced coffee I have consumed are affecting me. Caffeine was probably a poor decision on my part, but I had a headache (which it hasn’t killed, nor has the Advil, but they took it down a notch). I might have more pent-up energy in me right now than I did all winter long.

… I’m totally confident about tonight’s class activity. We have to lead a 5 minute discussion. There were all these parameters, and it was kind of difficult to put it in that framework, but our professor said that being able to lead a quality discussion is like a golden ticket into a teaching job. Little does she know that leading discussions is just about all I did when I worked as a youth pastor. Well, that and play Crazy Ball. I’m excellent at leading discussions. (Conversely, last week when we were discussing this assignment, she picked volunteers out of a hat to practice with topics that she provided, and I was terrified that I would be chosen. The topics were “people who let their dogs poop in other people’s yards,” “teacher jobs usually get cut before administration jobs; why is that?” and “what is cool and who defines it?” Yeah… not excited about those.)

… my unit plan is taking shape, and I feel OK about it. Now if only I could figure out what I was supposed to include under “formative assessments.” (Yes, I did have a whole class about this last semester. It’s gotten fuzzy somehow.)

… I checked out the draft Social Studies Standards (still draft, set to be fully implemented during the 2013-2014 school year) and like most of the changes they’ve made. They’re easier to understand, there are less of them, and they’re organized better. Unfortunately, they seem to have dropped the “Historical Skills” section. I take issue with that. Otherwise, I’m quite pleased. (They are drastically different from the current standards in many ways. I was not expecting that.)

I’ll stop rambling now. I want to hear from you. What are you thankful for?

On the bright side, it’s going to be ...keep reading]]> What can I say, it’s hard to be thankful when it’s -10* outside. We’re all finding it hard to be motivated about anything. I’m dreaming about beaches and warm bodies of water and sunshine and sewing up sundresses. Ooh, and wearing sandals and tank tops. Sigh.

On the bright side, it’s going to be 40* warmer tomorrow.

And that… is something to be thankful for.

… for husbands with malt cravings.

… for wood filler.

… for that free hour last night where I went to JoAnn (and spent less than $20) and Target (since when does foundation cost so much?*)

… for the will power to get my butt into bed around 9pm each ...keep reading]]> … for above-zero temps.

… for husbands with malt cravings.

… for wood filler.

… for that free hour last night where I went to JoAnn (and spent less than $20) and Target (since when does foundation cost so much?*)

… for the will power to get my butt into bed around 9pm each night, even if it does make my life very boring.

… for really enjoyable classes this semester (I say this now, while the only homework is reading, before classes start kicking me).

… for photographs, and especially for guy who photographed our wedding reception (3 1/2 years ago) – I am so thankful for the memories captured (that fill my cubicle).

… for the massage I have scheduled tomorrow night. I’m relaxing just thinking about it.

Whew! That was a lot better than last week, don’t you think?

*My skin had been weird lately, so I checked my foundation, since I was nearly to the end of it. It expired in 2006. Hrm. Thought that could be the problem. So, obviously, it’s been 5+ years since I bought foundation. Prices have gone up a bit.

• ‘s car is finally back from the shop. Much of the service was paid for by the manufacturer, so that was cool.
• My ...keep reading]]> It’s hard to be thankful when the outside temp has been near or below zero for so many days in a row. However, I will attempt to find some positives.
  • ‘s car is finally back from the shop. Much of the service was paid for by the manufacturer, so that was cool.
  • My co-workers seem to be unable to answer the phone this morning, despite it being their responsibility today. Bright side: I’m still employed.
  • I think the sun might be shining. That’s usually what happens when it’s bitter cold. (Cause and effect, clouds = trapping in warmth.)
  • I finally took the Christmas tree down on Tuesday. Still have the rest of the Christmas decorations out, but one thing at a time!
  • Step 1 of the grey dress is done! It was “just” darts in both the front and back, but you know those take a long time. I am, however, regretting my choice to be lazy and cut out the whole thing as a size 14 (because I’m a size 12 at the bust, but not at my hips). I think the darts may be too wide (and perhaps too… darty too – I don’t need to add too much dimension in that area). But, it’s progress!
  • While the weather will be really, really cold tomorrow, it is jeans day at work, and I find jeans to be much warmer than dress pants, so… yay for that.
  • I had a lovely Christmas on Sunday with and , and am quite thankful for my friends.

  There! That wasn’t too hard, was it? (Yes, yes it was. It took me 2 hours to write this post.)

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