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

November at last...

It is FINALLY raining! Thank goodness, I was wondering if we were ever going to experience the rain in Kansas, again! Maybe the Oklahoma earthquakes shook up the skies so that they would open. Ya think? Anyhow, went to a wonderful field trial in Eureka on Saturday and had a great time. I even scouted for my dad while he was running Rowdy Bo Dandy, a 2 year old Brittany. The pup had two finds and a stop to flush, but he just doesn't run quite big enough to compete with the big boys. However, I am betting this dog really does well in the next couple years. Right now, I am sitting at school trying to work on this KPTP. I am on page 23, so that's good, right? I should probably quit procrastinating and get back to it before I have to teach 7th hour. Eventually. Thomas finally signed me up on his insurance last night and I just hope I have a chance to use it. Another warn notice is coming out at his work on Friday - hoping his job code is not on it. At least we have a few options if he does get laid off. He has started looking into the railroad a little bit. He thinks it is something he might want to try if the aircraft industry keeps nosediving. He would be gone a lot, but the money is good, I guess. He is still working on Ground School, I think he is about halfway through. That's it for now. TTFN!

Keeping all the balls in the air....

Yep, its cold! :) I do not mind, though. Finally ready for some actual Fall weather, it always feels so festive! I just cannot believe that next week will be November, this semester has moved pretty quickly. I turned on the wood stove again last night and it felt very amazing. :) I do hope that Saturday won't be freezig because Allie and I are attending a Trunk-or-Treat for the animal shelter. Most of the other board members are out of town for a conference, so I have wrangled my sister into helping me. We are taking 3 dogs and 2 kittens to Trinity Lutheran's Fall Festival Trunk or Treat for kids and their fanilies to see what we have to offer in the way of pets. It will be a lot of fun to see the kids all dressed up in their costumes. Allie and I are dressing up, sort of. Our costumes consist of sparkly, purple false eyelashes and purple striped tights. We will probably wear black dresses and shoes and be 'nice, purple witches'! Haha. We are so creative - not. Not much else exciting has been happening. Work is about the same - we had aother waitress quit. We are averaging about one a week! Sheesh! I think we have a hostess quitting this week. Its not their fault, my boss is pretty hard to work for and so is his wife. Oh well, at least it is decent pay and tips! I have been working on my KPTP and Thank You cards like a mad woman, trying to get it all finished. Thomas is still liking Ground School, but he says it is a lot of information to absorb. I think I am going to try Pinterest, has anyone heard of that?

Just Another Day....

Last night, was the first night managing the restaurant and it really was not too bad. I appreciated being 'officially' manager, rather than just having to handle everything without the extra pay. Ayhow, it will be a great job to put on my resume.
What else has been happening?
Thomas is still enjoying ground school. He has also been working out every morning with his friends. This means I don't get to see him before I leave for school, but I know he always feels better when he is working out. I should probably take notes! :) I get to see him for about 10 minutes after school today, before he leaves at 4 for ground school. He doesn't get very much sleep on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but neither do I  during the week. Who needs sleep anyways? I am counting down the days until the 2nd week of Decemeber, when school will be over and I have more time.
I haven't worked on my KPTP at all, today. Probably should get after that!
That's about it, for now! TTFN!

A Real Dilemma....

So. My dacshund (Mo) is whining incessantly at the moment because he wants to go outside and chase cats. It is about to drive me up the wall, but I will attempt to finish this post before I strangle the little devil! The dillemma that I am struggling with is whether or not to quit my waitressing job. I do not necessarily need the money, but it is nice to have a little extra. If I was not student teaching, I wouldn't even consider quitting; however, I am extremely busy and stressed lately with everything that is on my plate. Not to mention work is getting out of hand. I am officially the unofficial manager since I have been there the longest of any employee, but I still only make $3 plus tips, per hour. I know that if I asked for a raise they would want me to be the manager, officially. I do not want that! I hate being responsible for everyone's screw ups and questions! My blood pressure must be through the roof! Anyhow, Thomas told me that I could quit whenever I want, since I will start substitute teaching this January, but I absolutely hate quitting jobs. So, I am going to try and stick it out a little longer and see where this goes. Oh, and the boss/owner just made his wife day manager and in charge of schedules. Great! < sarcasm. If you knew the situation, you would understand! lol

Ok, enough griping and groaning. On a brighter note, I get to sleep in tomorrow morning! Yippee! Hopefully, I will also get to spend some quality time with Thomas before we head to work. My dog is still whining. I belive he is rebelling lately, since neither Thomas nor I are ever home. The darn dog even peed on the bed last week!!! He doesn't do that, but I think he is looking for attention. Yet another reason I may quit work. :)
Headed to bed, hopefully to sleep very peacefully! Night!