The T-bird

Okay, folks. We officially have a T-bird. Thomas isn't the biggest fan, but I LOVE IT!!!! It is a 1971 T-bird and has suicide doors! How awesome is that?????? Anyhow, we have driven it, but it has a few transmission issues. It HAS been sitting for over ten years, but he ran some gas thru the carb and put in a new battery and she started right up! Woo Hoo! Anyhow here are some pics of the 'green machine'.

 

Awesome isn't it?

Oh, here is my little dirt bike that Thomas bought me for Christmas. It now has a new seat and I am just waiting on Thomas to fix the tire and we will be good to go!

:)

The Honeymoon

We went to San Antonio for a belated honeymoon, the week after Christmas. It was a wonderful time and we were able to see so many different things while we were there. Luckily, we were able to stay right on the river, so we parked the car when we got there and didn't have to move it until we left. I learned that walking in heeled cowboy boots is one of life's greater challenges, but it was a great workout for the calves! :)
The drive down went wonderfully....until we hit DFW. Oh my goodness, traffice was stop and go from Dallas to Austin. It took  us 6 hours to get from DFW to San Antonio! It should have only taken 4. However, we made it and were able to go out for some wonderful Tex-Mex at Rosario's. AMAZING!

We also ate at Casa Rio, while we were there. They had umbrellas, I think, so the pigeons would stay out of the food. They were like little beggars. The busboys kept having to slap them off the tables when they were cleaning them. It was hilarious!

Amazing Mural/Mosaic about the historic river crossing. There were so many 'hidden' treasures allong the river walk!

This gigantic building was amazing. Supposedly, it was built in 1929 for 5 million dollars. Do we remember what happened in '29? Yep, the market crashed and they had to sell it for 27K. Sad, yes? Anyhow, it was neat because it is built like a ship, with a huge mast. it also has real gargoyles on the top and a row of grotesques on the second floor. Beautiful!

Here is the view out the back of our hotel. We couldn't have asked for better!

Our hotel. We stayed on the second floor in  a room that looked over the river.

I believe this pic is outside the Hemisfair Tower of the Americas. Cute, huh?

I am not sure what this place was, but it was beautiful. I couldn't belive how green everything was there! The weather never got below 40 at  night and the highs were in the mid 70's. It made me want spring to get here in a hurry!

Okay, I have a lot more pics, but I need to make some lunch! More to come!

The End of a Great Year

Since I haven't blogged for a while, expect a series of blog posts to catch up on everything! :) Lots of pictures in these posts, as well. I didn't put up as many Christmas decorations this year, as I was very busy finishing up my degree. I am officailly a college graduate, now! Yea! :) I now have a B.A in English and Secondary Education. With any luck, I should be able to gain a teaching position in August. In the meantime, I plan on subbing as much as possible.

Mo and I have been enjoying the wonderful Fall weather. This semester of student-teaching went pretty quickly, despite the terrible KPTP assignment. Somehow I made it through it, along with passing all licensure exams, successfully.

Yes, another picture of ME. Haha. Anyhow, I was having an absolutely wonderful hair day and that is what prompted the pic. Since then, I have dyed and cut my hair, but nothing drastic. :)

This is the picture of my tree without any ornaments, I only put on a few this year, since we left for a week right after Christmas, and I didn't even get the tree up until a week before Christmas. An upside of less decorations is that it is easier to put up after it is all over.

Okay, I need to get off the computer for a bit. Stay tuned for more pictures from December 2011. :)

Chip Carving

It is about time to get back to my other wonderful hobby - woodcarving. Throughout the semester, I was only able to steal brief moments with my carvings, but in two weeks, my time shall once more be mine. Currently, my woodcarving endeavor is Chip Carving. It is an amazing process that creates intricate designs on flat surfaces, such  as wooden plates and ornaments. I am slowly improving at this venture and am finally starting to enjoy it more. It is such as calm and quiet form of woodcarving that requires very little space and energy. One thing that I have noticed, however, is that it starts to wear on my eyes. I should probably try a magnifying lense to carve under. Anyhow, I have already created 5 oraments for christmas presents, the most recent two, are not that bad, honestly. I need to get my own knives for this, instead of using my grandma's. I cannot use my usual carving knives, as this requires a different blade, which faces the opposite direction. Okay, I am tired of typing...TTFN!

Counting Down the Days....

Soon, I shall be free! Well, sort of...
After this week, I only have two weeks until I graduate. WOW! At least, I hope I will be graduating, he he. I should have my KPTP scores by this evening, which makes me extremely nervous, and I am hoping it is over a 20. Just hoping, and praying, and dreaming....
Yep. Spazzing a tad, today. I just finished teaching my last lesson of student-teaching AND my last observation. Big weight off my shoulders. Now, if I can just pass that darn KPTP and the exams... Bleh.
I am off this evening, so headed to carving around 6pm. So thankful because it helps me to relax AND I am making Christmas presents. Not sure who gets them, yet, but someone who will like them, for sure!
Starting to miss my sis, even though she hasn't been gone that long. Honestly, I probably miss her just because I know she is so far away. Plus, I am a little jealous that she lives only a block away from Hobby Lobby. On second thought, it is a VERY good thing that I don't live that close to Hobby Lobby because I would be even more broke than I am...
Keeping my fingers crossed on a potential teaching job......

It's a Raptor!
A really, cute Raptor!

Thank You Cards....

I feel like a terrible person because I still have not sent out my Thank You cards. However, they will be going out this week! YAY for me! :) I only have 1 page of people left, I have already written 3 pages worth. Thomas needs to sign his name on them still. lol. Anyhow, that will be a big relief. I am just getting things whipped out and finished - KPTP was submitted last night, took my exams on Sat, TUs going out this week. All that is going to be left is wrapping up the Student Teaching paperwork and I will be DONE! Soon, it will be Thanksgiving and then, I can decorate for my favorite holiday - Christmas! I even bought a new mini tree for my kitchen table - it's cute, for sure. Still keeping my fingers crossed for a possibility of a job in January...
Here is another recipe or two from my email chain....

Cheez-it Chicken

Ingredients:

Cheez-its Chicken

Chicken tenderloins

1 cup sour cream

3 cups of crushed Cheez-its

½ cup of melted margarine

Directions:

Dip clean chicken into sour cream coating it on all sides. Then roll it into the crushed Cheez-its making sure it is covered well. Place in baking dish with melted butter and turn it over so that margarine is on both sides. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes at 375 degrees

Laura Johnson-  Garden City, Kansas

__________________________________________________________________

Zucchini Banana Bread

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1.     Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch bread loaf pans.

2.     In a large bowl, beat eggs until light yellow and frothy. Add oil, brown sugar, white sugar, grated zucchini, bananas, and vanilla; blend together until well combined. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the cranberries and nuts. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.

3.     Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool in the loaf pans on a wire rack before removing and serving.

Beth Bellinger