not sure what to do with myself

Now that I don't have students getting robbed at gunpoint, lighting desks on fire, getting shot at, or stomping on dying bats, I've lost my blog fodder.

Who honestly wants to read about students who do what they're told?!

Today in English A, we actually learned about themes that are prominent in American literature. In English 9, we actually learned some grammar rules.

I actually have to teach. It's not just babysitting and trying to keep kids from hanging out of my windows for a smoke break.

And guess what? My first two paychecks? On time. Direct deposit. 

My excitement of the day now is when students come in during my lunch period and color the top of my hand sanitizer when I'm not looking. Or stack my Expo markers together. Or change the word "speeches" on the board to "peaches".

So I'm sorry if my formerly captive audience is bored to tears with details of my mundane life, but, let's be honest, your boredom is my sanity.

domestic success!

Tonight was a night of culinary triumph in the Parton household. Tonight was the first time Doug & I have made pork chops, and it was the also, shamefully, the first time I've successfully made rice. 

I don't know what the deal has been with me and rice, but up until tonight, I've always had a little bit of crunch to my rice. And I'm not down with that. My sweet husband will graciously scarf down whatever mess I put in front of him, but I know my shortcomings, and  - up until tonight - rice was one of them. Let's just say I'll be buying jasmine rice from now on!

Okay, so my pork chops - yum. They've been marinating since Saturday. I bought them on a whim - I've never done pork chops, so I was nervous, I'll admit it. I'm a lot more confident with a chicken breast. As I was browsing through my cookbooks, trying to find an easy, appetizing recipe for pork chops, my mind turned to the cider that I had sitting in the fridge. Bingo. So, I improvised and came up with what turned out to be an awesome marinade.

Rachel's Cider Pork Chops

Mix together:

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 c. apple cider

2 T. honey

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

Marinade pork chops overnight (or... for 48 hours...)

Have your hubby grill to perfection. Enjoy!

Yum! Look at those diamonds!

holy crap

I don't believe it.

The Bills are 4-0.

Surely this signifies the end times are near.

saturday morning

What a beautiful autumn morning! Doug & I took a walk together to downtown Plymouth to scope out the Farmer's Market, and I just wanted to share some snippets of our walk!

This adorable friend is growing in our driveway. Such a random little guy!

(That's our house on the left!)

Warring neighbors.

So every year there is a 3-day walk for Breast Cancer, and they dye the fountain in downtown Plymouth pink to show extra support. 

This afternoon Doug's going to the Michigan game with one of his friends. I'm going to make hot apple cider and do some lesson planning, and then tonight we're going to the PCA football game in Ann Arbor. What a perfect fall day.

bring on the harvest

I have the best friends in the world.

& I am so spoiled.

My dear friend Katie reads my blog and knew that I was badly craving some of the harvest products of my hometown...

SO - I arrived home from school today to discover this little bundle of bliss waiting for me:

A package from Panek's Pumpkin Patch!! 

Please note the return address: "Home, NY" - amen & amen.

Inside, I immediately discovered a sad truth:

Peaches do not ship well. 

But seriously, this was the funniest, sweetest token I could have asked for.

AND -

I ate a little bit of one anyway, out of desperation & sheer joy.

The package also contained the following beautiful autumn wonders:

apples from western NY...

and glorious gourds, baby pumpkins & Indian corn...

as well as an adorable jar of Kerry Berry Jam!

Katie & the Panek bunch - thank you guys SO much. 

This made my day... and probably my month. I love you guys!