Christmas thoughts

Has anyone else noticed that most Christmas stress is created by ourselves? Each year I HAVE to: send cards, make cookie plates, deliver plates, decorate, purchase gifts (includes Matt's help), wrap said presents, figure out our travel plans, and so on and so on. Matt helps with much of this, which is great but I still think, "This stress I'm feeling is being produced by me." What's the drive to do all of this? Why is this important? Why do I rush myself, purchase so much, and try to get all of this completed?

Then, revelation. Singing songs that you only get to sing once a year (Silent Night isn't the same in July nor is Jingle Bells), writing cards to family far away hoping all is well with them, and wishing people a Merry Christmas (and meaning it!). This evening we delivered cookies plates to our neighbors in our little apartment complex. Of the 7 plates we delivered: 2 went to families of four or more living in a two-bedroom apartment in which just Matt and I are cramped, one went to a dad with his two sons and another to a dad and his son that he sees only on the weekend (the son answered the door, saw me and said "Yes, ma'am?" Tough kid...), another went to a lady who has devoted her entire life to God and helping the helpless, a lady who just lost her job, and a shut-in lady. On any other Sunday evening, we wouldn't have seen them. We go inside our apartments, complain about the noise of our neighbors (!), and forget that we all sometimes need a friendly smile. Life can be hard, it can wear you down, but sometimes all we need to make life better is a plate of Christmas cookies!

Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. How can you not love a holiday that focuses around spending time with family and friends? And pie? I always think that Thanksgiving gets overlooked in the more materialistic holidays but Thanksgiving is great!!!


Matt and I had a marathon holiday with traveling to Indiana for a couple of days, back home to WI, and then on to Illinois. But we were able to see bunches of our family (and eat pie!). It did take us about two extra hours to get through Chicago, but still, it was a good trip.

On our way home, we stopped at a World Market, which we both love. There isn't one near us and it had been years since either of us were at one, so we stopped. I really enjoyed looking at the variety of goods and cool stuff for sale.

Back to the pie, I've cut sugar out of my diet so eating two (2!!) pieces of pumpkin pie was a real treat. But (as I told myself) how often do you get homemade pumpkin pie? And since the answer was "now," I ate the pie. I felt so sinful!

Thoughts on Fall

Tonight as I was driving home, the sun was shining through the trees and some early leaves were falling across the road. So pretty! I love this time of year with the colors and crispness in the air!

This week has been Homecoming around school. Each day has been a dress-up day and therefore, each day has been a little crazier than the one before. Today one of my students came in wearing a full body suit that covered his head (morphsuit?) and thankfully I could tell which student he was. Gesh. So far my dressing up has only been to wear a red sweater on color day! And super-hero day? I dressed up as an economics teacher. Shocking, I know.

Matt has moved up here so now our family is together again. I really missed him and I'm glad he's home!

Life

Sometimes it just amazes me at how blessed I am. I try not to take it for granted but I know that sometimes I do.

Teachers are struggling to find jobs all over the country.
I find one in a great (growing) school district.

Houses aren't selling.
We sold ours in two weeks and made money.

Banks are trimming staff and aren't really hiring a bunch.
Matt found a job about 15 minutes away from where I teach in a job that fits him better than what he is doing now.

All of this happened in about two months. We sold our house and Matt found a job in two weeks. How can I not be blessed? Look at my life!

I really enjoy teaching! I wasn't certain about teaching economics but I like it. I like that it can be current and we can talk about current events in an economic setting. Yay!

House news

We received an offer on our house!!!!!!!! It was only on the market two weeks and even then just a sign in the yard but we received an offer!!!!!!!!!! God works in very mysterious ways which is fine with me! This means that Matt can put in his two week notice, pack up the rest of things and move up here with me!! Unfortunately this means that I will also have to give up sole control of the remote control but I'll do that if it means having Matt closer!!

Two weeks!! Hard to believe!! And the couple who is buying it fell in love with the house's charm (like I did. I knew it was the house for us when I walked into the pantry and saw the floor to ceiling original cabinets) so since they love the house's charm this means that they will probably work to keep it that way, not gut it and put in modern walls that look out of place in a 1910s Craftsman. (This is what I'm telling myself since I'm a little heartbroken that we're selling it but that's life and I don't want to commute four hours each day.)

Now to tell the cats that they're not going to be able to sleep all night on Matt's side of the bed anymore....

School daze

I have now been officially employed for two days! Yay!!! It's been a while since I was officially employed since subbing is just a bit unofficial! I've been in my classroom for more than two days since it takes a bit to get through everything and to make the room look inviting. I've been hanging posters, pictures, and anything I can get my hands on to warm up the room. If anyone just happens to have some economics or women's studies posters out there and isn't certain what to do with them, feel free to send them my way!

I'm a little overwhelmed at the amount of info tossed at me in the last couple of days but it had to be tossed. I can't start the school year and not know certain procedures (well, I could but it wouldn't go well!) I had my second "start of school" nightmare last night. It's not really a nightmare but more like "worst case scenario" for a teacher. My econ. class wouldn't get to work and no matter what I said, how loud I said it, or with so much force, they wouldn't work. Even the threat of not graduating wasn't enough to get them to settle down and start working. Hence the nightmare. My first one dealt with students somehow leaving my classroom to sit in small groups and chat. I tried to give them a detention but it was the first day and I didn't know their names to give them detentions. Hopefully I won't be giving out detentions on the first day!!

Tomorrow I meet the rest of the social studies department. Wish me luck!!!

All moved!

Well, I'm in the new apartment but Matt is still in NW Illinois. It's only been three days and yet, I don't like living away from him. I miss him so I guess it's a good thing that we're married and kinda supposed to live together. It was a traumatic move. It took 5 hours to load the moving truck, 2 1/2 to drive up here, and another 2 1/2 to unload the truck. Needless to say, we were all pooped by the end of the day. The kitties didn't fare so well though. While we were loading the truck in Illinois, I put them in the bathroom with all the kitty necessities: food, water, litter, a comfy place to sit, and an open window. Once we were ready to drive, we got the kitties in their travel containers (aka kitty jail) and drove off into the sunset, the entire time listening to cat yowls from the back seat. About half way there, I noticed a strange odor coming from the back seat: someone had had an accident. The odor got stronger, making me think that maybe TWO someones had had an accident. Once we reached the apartment, my suspicion was confirmed: two accidents in two kitty kages. So out came the cat shampoo (once it was purchased from the store:)) and after we got things moved into the apartment, Matt and I bravely went into the bathroom with two smelly cats and gave them both a bath. There is nothing more pathetic than a dripping wet cat yowling at the top of his lungs. Thank goodness they're declawed otherwise we would be in shreds. Now, I know that there might be some people who think that this treatment of the cats is inhumane but you do the best you can at the time!

So now I'm at school trying to get ready for the first day of school, which is September 1st. I'm feeling ok about some things and completely overwhelmed about others, which is probably pretty typical!

Almost...

Our house is crazy right now!! We have packing boxes and boxes and boxes everywhere!!!! We're almost packed. All that we have left are the items we use everyday: plates, cups, coffeepot, etc. and since we're moving Monday, I have a few days to get those packed. I've already packed the excess plates, cups, etc., but still....

Matt and I are completely backwards. Normally people rent and then buy a home, but we're going backwards so we are also downsizing. Now after 4 years of marriage we don't have as much stuff as say my grandparents after living in the same house for over 50 years, but we still have accumulated a lot of "stuff" and we are sorting through it while keeping Goodwill busy! There are some things we don't really want to part with: Matt's grandparent's kitchen table, my great-grandparent's butter churn (we are moving to Wisconsin for goodness sake. The churn might come in handy!!) but there are other things that we know we can live without: the spare room dresser, the recliner, the cats, no, I'm kidding, the cats are coming with us. I think the cats know something is up or at least not right. They keep over-eating and then getting sick from over-eating. I think they're nervous. I'm just ready to be in the new apartment!!!

Apartment hunting

Ahh, the hunt. Wanted: 2 bedroom apartment/house with storage, kitties must be ok, dishwasher would be nice, washer/dryer please. And we found it!!!!! It is in the next town over but it's only about 6 miles so that's good.
We found it after looking at:
the third floor walk-up with no elevator
the former grow house for pot
the kitty-smell apartment
and many more that I don't want to go into. I'm excited about starting soon except I keep thinking about all the things I need like bulletin boards, classroom rules, a working syllabus, etc. The to-do list is like the Energizer Bunny, it keeps going and going and going.......

About time I wrote a new post!

I know that it's been a long time since I posted. This spring was pretty stressful for me and I was afraid that all my posts would be along these lines:

I need a job
I need a job
I need a job
Please, I need a job.

All spring I subbed in our local schools which gave me some pretty neat stories, but I was still concerned that all my posts would revolve around the above-mentioned theme. So I didn't post anything, trying to keep my sanity and stop obsessing about our future.

But I have good news:

I HAVE A JOB!!!!!!!!!! I'm the new social studies teacher in Fort Atkinson, WI. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I start in late August which gives Matt and I time to move and sell our house. We really like Fort Atkinson and it's close to Madison, which gives us access to great culture! The only hitch is that currently the position is for a one year contract due to the previous teacher taking a new position but wanting to leave her old position open just in case so she took a one year leave of absence. But she might not want her old position back and even if she does, I then have one year's worth of experience at a progressive school to add to my resume. To me, it's a win-win. And Matt is excited because he was getting pretty tired of his current position. The only ones who might not be happy would be the cats, who don't like to travel.

So we're happy and now I can post again without sounding like an obsessed fool. That and my to-do list just got a whole lot longer!!!!!

In now unrelated news, I'm still working on my Illinois license. It's been 4 months and I'm still not licensed. But now, I only need my Wisconsin license!

One License!!

I finally received my Wisconsin teaching license! According to one state, I am a teacher!!! Yay!!!!!

Bureau"crap"tic Blues

Have you ever thought that people are trying to make you crazy? Or that by trying to simply a process, it becomes more difficult to complete the twists and turns created by "simplifying" the process?

I'm trying to apply for my teaching license. My paperwork in one state is completed and is being processed. The state in which I live (and contrary to popular belief, it's not "confusion") has a completely different process for licensing applications. And different tests I have to take, different paperwork, and always, always more checks to write to pay for various "fees." Honestly, who came up with this process? M.C. Escher? Up one flight of steps, down another into a white duck, no, a black duck, no, a white duck..... Good grief!!

I will get my license, I will get my license, I will get my license, come on, chant with me. I will get my license....

What to do with a cabbage?

About a week ago, I impulse bought a cabbage. Some people impulse buy shoes, clothing, or jewelry, I impulse buy vegetables. Go figure.

Anyhow, the cabbage sat in our fridge for a week or so with Matt asking every couple of days, "What are you going to do with that cabbage?" to which I answered, "I haven't decided yet."

I know that cabbage lasts a long time but I knew it wouldn't last forever. So I looked in my cookbooks for a cabbage recipe that sounded palatable. So many of them had odd ingredients or just sounded icky. Eventually I found a recipe that sounded good in a Depression era cookbook. Cabbage casserole: ground beef, onions, cabbage, tomato chucks, and rice, all baked together in the oven. The recipe said two hours but our oven is slow, so it took more like three hours. It was very yummy but there was one downfall: it makes a ton!!!! There is no way that Matt and I can eat all that cabbage and still be welcomed in public!

So what to do with the 2 1/2 quart dish full of cabbage casserole? Matt said that he thought it would make wonderful pasty filling. Pasties (pronounced pAAsties) are meat and veggie pies associated with Cornish miners who moved to this area for the lead mining. You can buy them frozen in the grocery store. I thought about it and I agree with Matt, it would make good pasty filling. However we have so much filling, it is going to make multiple pasties.

After deliberating for a bit, I'm going to make the pasties but freeze them. The filling is all cooked and pie dough freezes, so why not? We'll see how this works! This is the benefit of only working part time (I'm subbing some but not five days a week!) So I have time to make pasties. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Home Life and Organizational Blues

Have you ever started one chore to create more for yourself?
Last week while I was washing the sheets, Matt and I decided it was time to flip the mattress.
Which led to...
A discussion about replacing the egg carton foamy thing on the bed. It was a split decision. Mer: nope; Matt: yep. It hurts my back but Matt's back needed it.
Which led to....
Matt cutting the foamy thing in half, replacing his half and leaving my half empty.
Which led to...
Matt putting the leftover foamy thing on the couch overnight where it was immediately welcomed by the furry members of our household. Mac didn't leave it for about 12 hours.
Which led to....
I found a blanket given to us by the Humane Society that was a little too small for comfort. However, it was just right for a pillow case. I sewed up three sides, added some buttons, cut the foamy thing into three parts, and presto chango: a kitty bed. It has been inaugurated by both kitties and seemed to pass with flying colors, or more like snoozing colors.

Back to the mattress flipping (one chore led to several, like a flow chart)
After I took the dust ruffle off the bed, the several clans of dust bunnies that were living under our bed suddenly became very noticeable.
Which led to...
I removed and sorted and tossed gazillions of milk rings and swept the underbed clean!
Which led to...
Re-organizing the underbed storage so it was more, well, organized. I was so inspired by the reorganization that I kept going.
Which led to....
I completely organized my canning jars. They are all packed carefully in one footlocker and one Rubbermaid tote. Each jar is wrapped in cloth (some leftover socks from under the bed). All my lids and rings are packed too. There is even room left for the few jars we're still using!
Yay!
Which led to....
Sorting through the pantry. I haven't tackled the 'food' side but the storage side is nicely organized, in my opinion. Especially now that the empty canning jars are out of the way.
Which led to....
Matt and I cleaning out our closets. We're getting there. Organization is always on my "to-do" list, which now has a couple of more things crossed off!!!!


I just wanted to flip the mattress......

A New Year

This year so far has gone well. I'm substitute teaching in a couple of our local schools. I put my name on our regional district list and called the schools to introduce myself. One school I called said "Great, thanks for introducing yourself, what are you doing on Friday?" Job conquered. My goal is to make enough to pay for our heating bill during the winter and maybe a little more.

I have decided though that being a housewife is exhausting. We don't have kids but I'm still pooped at the end of a day. Of course, I doing more, like making our own bread and today I baked scones and a jam tart but still, I'm tired. But I'm enjoying it and enjoying working on my ever-growing list of "to-do's" like: clean out the junk drawer, somehow organize my canning stuff so it's not all over the kitchen, clean out three closets, etc. So far I haven't taken anything off my list, only added more!

We had a great Christmas!!! Matt and I headed to Indiana for a few days and managed to see lots of family members and spend great time with Mom, Dad, John, Leah and Daniel. It was fantastic, especially spending time with Daniel. An 11-month old makes Christmas fun!!!

Well, off to start supper. I think today is a great meatloaf day!!!