Classy

My creativity is running low, today, hence the lame post title. I am heading into my classroom, again, to try to tackle the bulletin boards some more. Hopefully, I can make some more headway! It is looking pretty good, if I do say.

Just finished leftover eggplant parmigiana for lunch and it was delicious. It was a 'skinny' recipe, so it is a lot healthier than the traditional recipe!
On that note - I have lost 3 lbs! That is halfway to my goal of 6 lbs! I may up it to 7lbs, though, since my shopping trip has been delayed another week. I am going on August 18th for my school shopping trip! We have to wait for Thomas to sell a car before I can take the money and run! LOL. I cannot wait for that first paycheck I will receive!!!!!
I have been drinking lots of green tea and eating a grapefruit everyday, along with watching what I eat more closely. I have also cut out almost every drink other than water and green tea. I love juice, but the sugar content is terrible!
Sorry for such a short post, but I need to get dressed to head to town. After I work in my room, I have to attend a contract meeting. I am not sure if I am eligible to vote, yet, but I do want to know what the new contract entails! :)

Mrs. Langenwalter - English Teacher

My goodness, I haven't updated the ole' blog for quite some time! Yes, I am finally and officially, a high school English teacher. Holy Cow! :) I will be teaching 9th and 10th graders, including some remedial reading courses. The reading classes are really exciting because I hope to eventually have my reading specialty certification. This will be a great foundation! I start a 3-day in-service, tomorrow, which will cover the new Common Core Standards that will be implemented this year. I am quite excited to learn more about these standards, because, to be honest, I know nothing about them. Another exciting bit is that  I was able to see where my classroom will be! The other teacher hasn't moved out, yet, but I hope she will, soon! As soon as I can sart decorating, I will try to get some pictures on here!

Other than that wonderful news, things have been fairly quiet. Thomas did lose his job, but we hope that GE will get their act together and finally call him in the next couple months. Until then, he will be working for his dad at the BMW shop. I will be headed to North Carolina in just a few days to attend my sister's wedding! I am not so crazy about the flight, but I am sure it will be a blast once I get there! Many pictures to come! Oh, we are still Figure 8'ing it! Our next race is Saturday night, which is great, except that I have to drive the 4 hours up to KC as soon as its over, for my 7am flight. Fun stuff!

Here is a picture of me in the 'race car'!

I usually like to have more pics, but I guess I haven't been very good at that lately! I will work on that for next time! ;)

My Dreams Have Come True......

...I am now a Figure 8 Race Car Driver!!! Okay, just kidding. Well, I AM a 'Figure 8 Racer', now, but I also accepted a teaching job!!!!!! Yippee! :) I am just over the moon about gaining this position in the town that I wanted to. In August, I will start teaching High School English. I interviewed for the position one week ago and was called on Monday with the job offer! I was so excited I could barely speak when the principal asked if I would accept. I said yes, of course! It is just so exciting to think that I will be planning my own lessons and decorating my classroom, soon. Awesome!

Alright, back to the Figure 8 Racing....The car that we have kept up with in the blog is the one that I raced on Saturday night. It was the biggest adrenaline rush that I have had in years! Going in to the arena, I was scared to death and almost chickened out, but after a couple laps, I was having a blast!!! I even placed 2nd out of 5 cars, which isn't bad, considering I expected to be dead last! Our friend took a video and I cannot wait to see it. Thomas and Derek also raced, and placed second. We left with a total of $50 in prize money. Maybe we will go pro....just kidding!

Here is my 'pit crew'. They are trying to quickly replace a tire, in between the boys' race and mine...

Here's the car after our night of racing....only cosmetic damage! ;)

 

Below is not the best pic, quality-wise, but you get the 'picture'.....

We have all been enjoying the nice weather and leaving all of the windows open! The critters love it!!!

What else? Not much has been happening in Burden. Unfortunately, Thomas will most likely be getting laid off in a month or so, but it is okay; we have backup plans! :) I suppose that is about it, for us. We will be racing again in May, and I cannot wait! ;)

Woodcarving

I am needing to get enthusiastic about carving! LOL. The animal shelter has the Wine Tasting coming up in April. Since I'm on the board, I should probably contribute something, right? Well, what better to auction than art? So, woodcarving it shall be. However, I have trouble getting excited about carving something that I NEED to carve. Make sense? Now, I just have to decide what it is I would like to carve. I basically have a month and a half to come up with something. I am going to attempt to make some bottle stoppers to go with the whole Wine theme, but I am tossing around the idea of finishing this cowboy that I am working on. He is much more impressive, and I feel as though he would sell better. I know my grandma prices hers over $100! Mine are nowhere near that fabulous, but I am sure I could put an estimated value of about $70 on one....That doesn't mean it will sell for that much, but its better to overestimate, I suppose.....Anyhow, with that being said, I am headed out to the farm where Thomas is working on the Figure 8 car. Hopefully, being out in the country and outdoors will help keep me inspired! :D

Well, here is a flashback to my first relief carving, ever. I finished it when I was 18, I think. Still one of my favorites! :)

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!

Horses and Horsepower

Thomas and his friend Derek have decided that they need a Figure 8 car, so they bought one. They have also decided that I should race it in the Powderpuff division. Hmmmm. I can't decide if I am super excited or super scared, but it will undoubtedly be a new life experience!
Also, I had the opportunity to ride the colt, Jack, for the first time outside of the roundpen, while the boys were working on the car at the farm. It was a fun day all-around!

This is Jack's first ride out of the round pen! He did wonderful! He is still a little iffy about what exactly he is supposed to do once I am on him. However, he has yet to buck or spook!

Jack looks like a typical colt in this pic. He just is not quite strong enough for much riding. I have NO idea why I am sitting so crooked.

Derek's adorable kids - Taylor is leading her big brother, Hunter, around on Dan. Both kids rode Dan at least 3 times each. They were in love!

Drumroll please......



Yes. Yes, folks, that IS a Caprice. Beautiful, isn't it? Thomas is posing quite nicely. He said he felt as though it were senior pics all over again! LOL. This is the Figure 8 car, by the way! Oh, and he will probably kill me for posting this pic! :P



I was in charge of interior demolition. I managed to tear out the headliner and most of the plastics. Thomas and Derek had to finish it off!



Serious demolition! :) The boys had the front end and the engine off of the car in under two hours. I helped for an hour on said interiors, then became distracted. LOL.

Stay tuned for updates on Clarence the Caprice! :)

I'm thankful for.....

1. My Family (including in-laws) :)
2. My Critters - all 9 of them!
3. My lovely, warm home which is MUCH warmer now that Thomas fixed the wood stove.
4. The fact that I have less than 3 weeks of school before I graduate!
5. The chance that means I may have a teaching job in January, even a small chance.
6. My wonderful friends...
7. The news that Thomas will move to 2nd shift in January...
8. Chocolate
9. Pepsi - even though I don't drink it anymore, at least I know its there if I need it! :)
10. Mexican food, especially black beans and chips & salsa!

There are so many more things I am thankful for, but I'm tired of typing..... ;P

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!

Happy Halloween!

What a great day for Halloween! It is the perfect fall weather, even a little bit on the warm side. We got to see all of the little preschoolers parade through the high school this morning and they were freaking adorable! Bless those that are preschool teacher, they must have unlimited energy and patience!
This afternoon, Mom, Allie and I are going to see Puss in Boots 3D. Haha. We all love Shrek and have decided that this movie is a must-see. There won't be many more evenings with the three of us, since Allie is moving to Tennessee, soon. :(  Oh well, I know it will be a great adventure for her!
Thomas is busy cutting trees at my Great Aunt Paula's today, instead of working at the shop. He has decided that there are limited nice weather days and he won't have many more days for working outdoors. Paula really appreciates all of his help, as most of her family avoids work like the plague. Thomas is getting a Thunderbird in return, it has suicide doors and is a early 70's model - really neat looking!
Anyhow, I need to get back to the KPTP.
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?

Weekends are too short

Well, what a Monday! I have been working on my KPTP project most of the day, then I am headed to a humane society meeting at 5:30. I sincerely hope that it does not last as long as the last one. Whew! Maybe I will stop by Momma's afterwards.....
Thomas and I stayed up WAY too late last night. We ran up to dinner in Wichita at Bonefish Grill. It was decent, but not great. We are going to Carraba's, from now on. Way better. Then, we stopped by Freddie's Frozen Custard for some dessert. I am convinced my husband is crazy - he does not like anything at Freddie's, not the burgers, fries, or heavenly custard. Silly boy. That's ok, more for me! ;) We picked up a redbox movie and headed home to watch Bad Teacher, which was absolutely hilarious, but kept us up way past bedtime.
Hmmmm, what else?
Thomas may be at risk for lay offs in January. :( They are talking about it again. Hopefully, he can squeak by again, though. A better rumor is that they are going back to regular shifts in January, as well. This would be FABULOUS!!! I would take 2nd or 3rd, of course 1st would be best!
He is still working on his Private Pilot's license. He actually has homework this week. Its cute because he is doing everything he can to avoid it! Homewrok is not his forte, unless it has a motor...
That's all for now!

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!

Teacher of Promise

I was nominated for the Teacher of Promise award! Wow! It is an award through the KSDE and only two education students, per year, receive it at Southwestern. Very exciting! I am supposed to stop by SC this evening, before work, to fill out forms and find out more information. :)

Thomas had his first day of Ground School yesterday and he really enjoyed it! He said the first class was really easy - Basic Aerodynamics. His next class is Thursday, hopefully he keeps enjoying it! I was very happy that he came home 2 hours early this morning at we were able to spend time together. :)

I attended a Legacy meeting about endowments, last night. Previously, I did not even know what endowment meant, but now I can tell you the different types and the 5 steps to gaining an endowment! LOL. Hopefully, we can use some of the information that we gained at the animal shelter. We are in desperate need of an endowment with the way the economy has been, lately. Our anual fundraisers are going very well, but we should plan for the long term.  I am hoping to raise $15,000 at the wine tasting fundraiser this year, since we raised $14,000 last year.

That is all for now, at school right now and headed to work this evening. We do have a concert to go to on Saturday - Joe Walsh. It should be a lot of fun!