2008. 2007 wasn't SO bad. It was doable. Hopefully 2008 will bring about some interesting things as well. I've applied for a Fullbright Scholarship. If accepted into the program, I will be going to Japan this summer for three weeks, all-expenses-paid, to study the Japanese education system and schools. Considering I've never been out of the country...well...I think it would be an amazing opportunity to improve my own instruction in my classroom and also help to bring positive change t...

Just wanted to let you know what was going on in our household. I'm officially down 11 pounds. Not a WHOLE lot, but enough to feel a difference in the way clothes fit. Most of the weight is coming off the lower part of my body--rear, legs, etc. I'm waiting for my gut to start to shrink. That would be lovely, but I guess I don't have much choice in the matter. My sugars have still been high...too much chocolate availability. If they're still not down by the time I go back next time, s...

I've always loved the Fargo-Moorhead area. It's beautiful, and even in a larger city (for the upper Midwest, anyway), there is such a sense of community. When someone is in trouble, there is abundant material and financial support. Conjoined twins, naturally-occurring quadruplets? No problem. Cancer diagnosis? Covered. This article really comes as no surprise because of my experiences there. But it's amazing nonetheless. The following is an article from the Fargo Forum, and you can...

It has been brought to my attention by a couple of bloggers lately that I am a very large woman. In fact, that little piece of information has been spouted over and over again by these certain bloggers. I haven't been called fat so many ways since elementary school. I've always been a big girl. My family never departed from the typical "farm-family" meals. Home-grown meat, potatoes or some sort pasta, and a vegetable and kool-aid or milk. Not exactly condusive to a healthy weight. ...

I had my first round of conferences in New Town this week. They went really well. I had my students lead their conferences this year after finding lots of positive research on them. I had my students write down some things they thought they were doing well in, some things they were having difficulty understanding, and a goal they would like to work towards for the next quarter. I think that during conferences it also helped having the students there to help with problem solving. I have...

So, after I was diagnosed with the diabetes, I had to keep a diet journal for two weeks. I didn't change anything, just ate like I normally do. After those two weeks my doctor and I sat down and went through and talked about different options for my diet. Obviously chocolate is a big stumbling block for me. I can still have it, just not the punds at a sitting, you know? She gave me some different options for breakfast. Two eggs and a slice of toast are my standard now. I love eggs, so ...

I know those of who have or who have had family members in the military overseas are going to want to kick my rear end for this, but I miss my husband. He's been gone for almost a month doing this training thing. We still don't know when he'll be home for even a few hours. I miss being able to argue with him in person, and talk to him the minute I walk in the door. I miss watching movies with him, and going to the store with him. I miss him showing up at school just to talk during lunc...

On Monday I had that work physical, right? Tuesday morning I went in for my fasting blood draw, and on Thursday afternoon I went in for the ultrasound. So...let's say that things didn't go so well. Expected, I suppose, but disappointing nonetheless. It's not "official"...I'm not supposed to know, because the ultrasound tech isn't allowed to say anything, but I've definitely got cysts on my ovaries again. I'm a little relieved that I'm not crazy, and the pain that I've been having is le...

I had my "work physical" today. The new doctor is awesome, and she listenened to my concerns well, and she's pretty easy to get into. So...luckily my cerebellum is okay. I talked to her about concerns about my meds. She added Wellbutrin, so we'll see how that goes. I spent several hours on the phone trying to track down a doctor I had in Las Vegas because she wanted to put me on metformin extended release, and I didn't remember what I had been on. I had been the regular metformin, and...

On Thursday many of the staff at our school converged at our local McDonalds for "McTeacher's Night" with our Parent Teacher Organization to help earn money for our school. I signed up for all three hours because I'm a "trucker's widow" right now, and I didn't really have much else to do. It was totally gross, but I had a blast. When we got there, the owner and his wife greeted all of us and asked us which jobs we'd like to do. I kind of wanted to do the drive-through, but another t...

Okay, so this year I'm teaching second grade. My homework expectations are very simple, and in MY mind, "just right." That being said, I am NOT a parent. I know that both parents and children are busy, so my homework is generally something very short that reinforces the general concepts we covered in class that day and reading practice. Math homework shouldn't take longer than 5 or 10 minutes at the VERY most, and I want my students to read for 15 minutes an evening (for right now, anyw...

It's 10 pm Mountain time...11 pm Central time. I just got off the phone with my cousin Ann. She was Bill's big sister--my cousin who died a year ago this weekend. They're having their ga-rage party in honor of him tonight. All of Bill's friends are there and many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I have to "puff out my chest" a little. Bill loved bonfires and parties and stuff...so as we gathered last year, I suggested we all get together at his house and build a fire and have a party i...

I write this on the morning we lay my dear cousin to rest. I'm wondering what words I can put on these pages that can be sufficient to explain what Bill meant to his family and friends. To me, Billy was the embodiment of FUN. I always knew that when I got together with Billy we'd have a good time no matter what we did. It didn't matter if we were picking rocks with Grandpa out in the field or building a fort together somewhere we weren't supposed to, it was ALWAYS fun when Bill was arou...

Out here in Wyoming, there is a huge energy boom going on right now. Gas pipeline is being laid all over the place, going from here to there and everywhere (wish I had a map...not sure exactly where its going to / coming from). People aren't sure how long the boom will last for. It seems many of the towns go through booms out here. But as I think about it...Im not entirely sure why. They had a boom back in the 70s and it died....now its going through a boom again. Well what happened to...