real life conversations, pt. 15

At the dinner table, while discussing nightmares we've had, after Mom told us that a dream about fending off a wolf caused her to scream in the middle of the night, and Doug disclosed that he once had a nightmare that ninjas were chasing him...

Mom: "What exactly are ninjas? Aren't they like, turtles?"
*Blank stares from all around the table, then uproarious laughter*
Jayne: "Those are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!"
Me: "Mom, are you serious? You're the smartest person I know, and you don't know what ninjas are?!"
*We proceed to explain what ninjas are*
Dad: "Dreaming about ninjas should make you scream, not wolves."
Mom: "Maybe a ninja wolf."

miscellaneous... tuesday

It's a snowy Tuesday... er, I actually think it's raining now. And I have all these random collections of tidbits that I've been meaning to turn into blog posts, but I've been too lazy. So, I thought I'd just mix the whole jumble together. Kind of like Monster Cookies, but not as delicious.

- I was reminded by Manda's post about fashion that I've been meaning to track some of the outfits that I make up on school days. Because I'm getting to the point where I look at things in my closet that I've worn for the past 4 years, and I'm like, hey maybe I'll try throwing those together. I don't really consider myself that fashionable, and I don't really like shopping (yowza! I know, sorry!), AND we're, you know, trying to save money for the adoption. So, I've gotten... um, creative. However, I keep forgetting to take Photobooth pictures when I come home from school. So I have 2 outfits to share. One is just preppy and boring from school last week (or 2 weeks ago?), and the other is my outfit from church on Sunday. You can't tell in the 2nd picture, but I'm wearing black leggings and brown boots. Yep. I was gonna call these posts "love it or lose it" or something like that, so you guys can vote and tell me to stop scaring my students and offending the fashion police.

I was going to go through and tell you where each "piece" is from, 

but then Target and Old Navy kept coming up so often that I got embarrassed.

- I just bit my own finger while eating string cheese.

- Mini Cadbury eggs. You need to stop tempting me with your delectable dreaminess.

- Have I mentioned on my blog yet that I'm going to Costa Rica? Because, guys? I'M GOING TO COSTA RICA. In 32 days. For our senior class trip. Where I will be wearing a bathing suit. In front of 40 teenagers. Yeah, I've been hitting the gym pretty regularly.

- Adoption: We just got an email from our social worker this morning saying that she's almost done with our narrative. I was so excited I almost... I was going to say "peed myself," but that'd be crass. 

- Our community group has met twice now, and I really need to start documenting the meals we eat. It's potluck style, and we might have a Facebook group to coordinate and plan meals. Last night, Troy & Maria made pork tenderloin with bacon jelly and it was amazing. 

- I've been editing pictures of my friend Elise's daughter - such a cute little girl!

- Zooey has a doppleganger. Doug was watching Hulu or Netflix or whatever, and a commercial came on and we did a double-take, because this is what our Saturday mornings usually look like!

- Okay, that's it for now. 

march madness

Our friends Dave & Sara are currently in the process of adopting from Ethiopia, and they are planning a fundraiser around March Madness! Be sure to follow their blog so you can stay in the loop!

Click here to read more about their adoption process!

real life conversations, pt. 14

While trying to put dressing on my salad from Panera and getting stuff on my fingers...

Me, muttering to myself: Ugh, you're freaking me out.
Doug: What? Me?
Me: No, my salad. Don't worry about it.

hello, break.

a gorgeous afternoon

to welcome winter break...

if only i didn't have 50 research papers in the backseat.

happy valentine's day

Love ~ Zooey

recently i'm... [23]

Excited about: our CHV Community Group! Tonight we had the inaugural potluck dinner at our house. We're getting together every other week with friends from our neighborhood (6 couples total!) for the "4 F's", as Doug said: friends, food, fellowship & faith. We had such an awesome time tonight with everyone, and we're so excited for the next CG.
Looking forward to: winter break = WNY :)

Not looking forward to: dentist on Wednesday :(

Listening to: Beirut. Click here for the weirdest music video I've seen in awhile.

Swamped with: just school in general. Musical practice, preparing for the senior trip, getting ready for junior research papers to be turned in... argh

Watching: Downton Abbey. My mom mentioned this last time we were home, and I'm officially hooked.

Obsessed with: Annie's Eats chocolate chip cookies with mini M&M's... so delectable.

Baking: Um, see above. Also, we made V-day Pancakes on Sunday morning.

Working on & enjoying: grading freshman poetry. I might have to share some. I just made up an assignment last week based on an ee cummings poem, and they turned out so much better than I even hoped for!

Reading: There Is No Me Without You

Loving: snow on the ground!

Needing: to go to bed. Now.

friday lunch

On Friday, one of my senior boys asked me if "some students" could do 

praise & worship in my room during lunch.

There were probably at least 30 students crammed into my room,

singing & reading Scripture together.

(This video is a little awkward because I didn't want to record any of the students' faces,

and my phone was sitting on my desk, so I just recorded the ceiling...)

I love my job.

where i'm from

My friend Kelly had her classes compose a poem called "Where I'm From", based on the poem by George Ella Lyon. A few of my seniors shared their compositions with me, and I loved them so much I was inspired to borrow Kelly's format and compose my own.

Where I'm From
for Dad & Mom & the kids

I am from the tire swing,
     from Windex and Fast Orange.
I am from the worn sofa and the bustling kitchen
     (Tired, full,
       it felt comfortable and familiar.)
I am from the apple tree
the haystacks,
      growing strong, practical yet fun.

I'm from stolen bites of cookie dough and blue eyes,
     from Roger and Christine
     and from God bless Robert, Ethan, Emily, and Jayne.
I'm from the hard-working
     and togetherness.
From boopadapa! and
     love the unlovable.
I'm from God is on the throne
     and Sunday mornings of dish-rattling Ron Kenoly.

I'm from Albion and England and Germany,
     afternoon tea and bratwurst.
From the toe Dad broke kicking a cow in the head,
     the sticks Mom picks up on her walks to the pond,
     the countless re-telling of old stories that make us laugh every time,
     upstairs in the library, neatly preserved for moments of nostalgia.

I am from a daddy's lap,
  a mother's sweet kisses,
    the hostile and welcoming arms of siblings,
      protected and encouraged,
        challenged and supported,
immeasurably and eternally loved.

-RCP 2.9.2012

Your turn!
Challenge: write a poem about where & what & who you're from!
AND leave me a comment linking to it!
Click here for the template.
You guys, poetry is FUN!

work & play

My freshmen are in the middle of a poetry unit, and we recently read a few poems centered around the idea of "work". I told them to compose a poem about work, and wrote one of my own to model. It's not very good, but was fun to write.

Work & Play

The difference between work and play
Can vary for me day by day.
Grading essays with no style,
Disciplining when kids are wild --
These components constitute "work",
And frankly, make me feel like a jerk.
But chatting with students who share what's real --
Their dreams, hopes and fears and what they feel --
Those are the moments of "play" that I treasure.
Investing in my students is a true pleasure.

-RCP 2.6.2012




---
And, psst! Look over here! We are getting closer...

feb. photo-a-day 3,5

Well, I hadn't anticipated falling off the bandwagon as quickly as I did!
I did take a picture of "hands", but I can't remember if it was on the correct day.
I did not take a picture of a stranger.
I did end up taking a picture approximately around 10am today.

3. hands

 5. 10am

somebody is sad that she's not allowed in the bedroom.

p.s. check out the new, girly collar!

(check in at fat mum slim!)

Happy Super Bowl!

Who are you rooting for?

I guess I don't really care... 

Doug is telling me to root for the Pats because Tom Brady went to U of M. 

I suppose that can be my excuse to adore Tom Brady, right? Wink!

february photo-a-day

(read more at fat mum slim)

Guys. I can't promise this will last beyond today, but here's to trying.

Aaaaand, since I'm already behind, here's day 1 and day 2.

1. view today
(i took this picture today, but it's a truer picture of yesterday.
stupid cold.)

2. words

(this hangs on my wall next to my desk. always need a reminder.)

Join in, friends!