30 JibJab Credits?

Okay, so I have abadoned the life of leisure for a life of productivity. At least for the last 2 hrs anyway. To treat myself for being so good...making bread, putting Christmas decorations away, vacumning, etc. I decided to come up here to the computer room and make a lovely JibJab. Click here if you are unaware of the joy of Jib Jab . (Do yourself a favor and click it)
So back to my story. I was going to make a lovely Jib Jab of Gina and Chris dancing the Cucaracha. I loaded the picture, cut out the faces (even though it made Chris' ears look big). I figured it went well with Gina's big head. (Did I say that out loud?) So, they were dancing and Chris had a lovely butt shaking move that I think you all would have enjoyed and they were ready for their first ever Dance Competition. Fringe, but no sparkles.
I went to go post it and realized that now they are greedy and want money to entertain! Hmmmm!!!! Guess how I feel about that? Well, you can tell by the fact that I am not posting a JibJab. I am a little sad.

Dear JibJab,

Stop trying to stick it to the little guy. Even po' folks need to laugh!

Very Disappointed,

Amanda

No School

Prayers are answered. School was canceled. Before bed last night I said a little prayer that school would be canceled today due to the super cold weather! What do you know? Heavenly Father loves me!
So, I started today off by sleeping in and then when I finally woke up I had ice cream for breakfast. I am feeling better already!

Just Kidding

Remember the joy of the post from just a few hours ago? The joy of wonderful weather, a day off and tap dancing? All of that has suddenly left me.
I went back to work today and maybe due to the weather system they were off the wall. Two of my kids got into a fight yesterday and I mean a punching and strangling fight. Well, today they were slightly better but managed to be out of control the whole day.
I know you are curious about the weather system.

Tue, January 29
5pm
Snow / Blowing Snow17°F
Feels Like -1°F

6pm
Snow / Blowing Snow14°F
Feels Like-5°F

7pm
Snow / Blowing Snow12°F
Feels Like -9°F

8pm
Blizzard9°F
Feels Like -13°F

9pm
Blizzard7°F
Feels Like -16°F

10pm
Blizzard4°F
Feels Like -19°F

11pm
Snow Shower / Wind2°F
Feels Like -21°F

Wed, January 30
12am
Snow Shower / Wind-1°F
Feels Like -24°F

1am
Snow Shower / Wind-4°F
Feels Like -28°F

2am
Few Snow Showers / Wind-6°F
Feels Like -30°F

3am
Few Snow Showers / Wind-7°F
Feels Like -31°F

4am
Few Snow Showers / Wind-7°F
Feels Like -30°F

Okay, so does anyone know what -30 feels like? I don't know that I do. We moved here last year and the actual temp was -12, which we have seen this year already, but not with 35mph winds. I was reading on www.weather.com and it said that at -15 and 35mph wind, your face would freeze in 30 seconds!!!!!

So, as soon as I get my kids gone, I go out to leave and start the horrible task of chiseling off my windshield as....wait for it....the hail is pelting me in the face!

I was standing there having an imaginary conversation with my students pretty much wanting to die.

The only solution: to stop by the store on the way home and buy 1/2 gallon of Rocky Road, pre-made Chocolate Chip Cookies, a Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix and some carmel! I ran into another teacher who asked me how my day was. I just showed her my basket and informed her that they weren't for celebrating.

Well, I must go put my cookies in the oven! Sorry to vent, but what are good friends and a blog for?
Love you guys.

I'm a Tapper, I Tap

Okay, you all know, my life dream is to become a tap dancer, right? Well, I am now one step closer to world tapping fame. I am going with YEAR OF LIVING THE IDEAL LIFE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT!
I went to my first tap lesson tonight. I am now home and feeling like I have conquered the world. It was the BEST thing ever!!! (Sorry for the multiple !!!, but they really are necessary.)
Let me discribe my evening to you. I walk in and put my shoes on and get ready to stun and amaze with my mad skills. I don't know that I did that, but I couldn't stop smiling. Well, we have a few interesting folks in my class. We sat against the wall and we all shared why we were taking the class. I shared the unfortunate story of my mom buying me tap shoes as a little girl, only to take the taps off before giving them to me. Then the only man in the class decides to share his motivation. He is a self-proclaimed 'manly-man.' Good to know. And he would never have considered taking a dance class, but then he saw Dance With Me. Hmm...well, I am glad that Richard Gere inspired someone. I just wish that it wasn't this guy. Poor, poor man. He had absolutely no, zero, ziltch, rhythm. He couldn't hear a beat to save his life. It was entertaining watching the teacher's face as she kept repeating the instructions 'Step, and then clap' to the whole class with really only one target. He was the kind of guy when he was supposed to be on his left foot he was on his right and clapping when he was supposed to be stepping. I don't know that he was fazed by that, but almost all of the women in the class took a turn with him as their pet project. 'No, that's step, clap, step clap, get it?' No, I did not take a turn, but I did continue to glance over and get a little chuckle every now and again. I was a kind soul and did not let the amusement show on my face.
Two of the girls said that they were taking tap lessons so they could wear cool tights. They were wearing very fun hot pink and yellow tights. One of the girls though was wearing a slip over her tights. And, it was one of those shorty slips that has a slit in it. The slit was lined up with her butt crack, so frankly it was a good thing that she was wearing thick tights.
Another one of the ladies walked in with flowy stretchy pants that putting it lightly were high waisted. She was also wearing a magenta turtleneck tank top. She wasn't small of stature, so the highwaisted stretchy pants were a total disaster.
I of course was looking charming, just in case you were wondering. Don't ask anyone else in the class. For the second time in my life, I wore my Crocs out in public! The Horror, I know!
So, I can't wipe the smile off my face. I'm as happy as a clam in high tide. :)
P.S. It was 44 degrees today! Good thing that I wasn't at work! :) :)

It's Baaack!

Anyone recall my recent foray into surgeryland where I got two moles ripped from my face? I think I told you didn't I? Well, anyway that is not the point. The point is that I think I am growing a fresh new mole on the side of my face! What is up with that? Seriously. And I think it has plans to create a scene. AND when I got the first one off (the non-painful one) they told me that that one would most likely grow back at some point. Hope springs eternal right? Now I'll be back to my previous count in no time.

Oh No!!!

Okay, so isn't it Liz's birthday tomorrow? I am feeling horrible as I have been thinking about her/you for a couple weeks and planning on getting my act together and now a day before the big day I have not even put a card in the mail! Hmmm..well even though Liz won't like this sort of attention (sorry, but Happy Birthday anyway) I feel that somehow making this public I get off the hook for being a bad friend.
Are you all going out to dinner this weekend to celebrate? I am so missing you guys right now. love you guys!

My Celebrity Look Alikes

Wow, this is quite a revelation. I was wondering why I have been feeling bootylicious lately. I'll take Kate Beckinsale too! Great! But Sophia Loren in this picture??? Anyone see the resemblance? Say no!

1-2-3-4 Pay __(location in which I live...read the sign_________ Teachers More 5-6-7-8 Come On Back Negotiate!!

Okay, so here I am picketing for the rights of the underpaid/underappreciated teachers here in my neck of the woods.
I didn't really know I was a picketing type, but I feel like this School Board and District are just trying to shaft the teachers. We aren't even fighting for more, just to basically keep what we have.
I also need to add that I obviously thought this was important due to the fact that it was the night before a day off (dr appt day, not holiday) and 12 degrees outside and I was not at home in my full size zip up jammies. I was less prepared than most of the others because I didn't have full skiing gear on, but I managed to hold out for an hour before I went hobbling to my car with toes that I couldn't feel.
I had to get this shot since my many attempts to make the news were thwarted by others. No Jumbotron success for me. Picture with me are two of the unfortunately few hilarious people that I work with.
I figured it was time to post some pics since I have been
negligent lately. I was at another school in our district last week and I saw this in the hallway. Click to make larger if you can. The top puzzle piece says "We Are All Connected." It is a nice idea in theory, but I'm not sure they get the idea. 'I do not think it means what you think it means."

No Cutting Heads Off Part I and II

If you get slightly grossed out by dead animal anecdotes, you might not want to read this. I will keep it short and sweet, but trust me it is gross.
Max and the pup have been enjoying running and playing in the yard. Occasionally they like to eat dog poop. I don't know how to stop this, but we think it is gross. It is not as gross however as chewing on the rabbit head that is out in our backyard!!!!!!!!! Disgusting!!!!! After I told John about it he asked 'well, is it still back there?' Um, yeah. Who else is going to pick it up and throw it away? Remember the time we were having the Easter Egg Hunt at our apartment and there was a dead bird on the balcony and we waited until Serge arrived to play Man of the Hour? Thanks Serge! We love men.

No Cutting Heads Off Part II
Today I was at school and we were doing a little Social Studies lesson about Rules in the Classroom/Laws in the Community. So I asked the kids what kind of rules we have in the classroom to help each other. I was looking for things like: sharing, helping, etc. I got a few of those answers and then one of my little kid pipes in with 'you shouldn't pretend to cut someone's head off!' Well, there you have it. That is bad news and not helpful. I'm glad he brought that up though because I would have forgotten to cover that rule and we might find ourselves having some problems in the Home Center.

P.S.

I am starting tap dancing lessons at the end of the month!

P.P.S.
I just watched Steel Magnolias all the way through for the first time. I can't explain why it has taken me so long. I always think I've seen it, but have forgotten it. Nope, never saw it. All I have to say is Sally Field in the cemetary!!! HELLO?????? I was a mess. Max was watching with me and he was geniunely concerned for me through all of my sobbing. I have a very caring pup. It was like the scene in Shadowlands! Horrible.
Just thought you should know.

Real friends would have warned me...Rachel!

Where to start? I had one of the most entertaining/eye rolling evenings of my life. John and I went to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra! Some of you (Rachel) might already know why I have to blog about this. If you are like I was previously and don't know much about TSO except for Mannheim Steamroller, I advise you to make a solemn pact with me right now that you won't waste money on going to see them. Now that that is done, I also have to say I have been chuckling to myself for the last 1 1/2 hrs. Let me just give an overview of the evening.

1st 40 minutes: Most of the songs you are used to hearing on the radio. Enjoyable highlights include the electric violin lady who jumps around the stage playing the violin masterfully while headbanging, even when the tempo doesn't necessitate the permed hair to be violently chucked to and fro. Also, we meet Mr. Narrator man who thinks that he is James Earl Jones and is overly dramatic in all the wrong moments. This section was also very intriquing because of the light displays. I really was impressed with the huge light ceiling that would drop down and twist in all sorts of ways. I haven't been to many concerts so maybe this is normal, but it really was fascinating. I was considering a change in professions for 1/8 second.

Everything after the first 40 minutes: Weird!!!!! I was sooo not prepared for this. Mr. Narrator Man keeps jumping in between each song to tell some little ditty about an angel/maybe Jesus flying around looking at the world. My favorite part was:
"As he flew o'er Sarajevo There were scars upon the land There were scars upon the people It was hard to understand
And the deepest scars of all Which to humans are unseen But the angel could see clearly Were the scars upon the dreams "
I know Sarajevo is nothing to laugh about but it was sooooo over the top, I couldn't help myself.

THEN enters the Hobo! That is right! A homeless man enters and greets a gal sitting on a stool playing the guitar. And then the singing begins AND doesn't end.....ever! It was a song about a bar and the neon light and this girl, or something. The song ends with the vocalist holding out the last note for I'm not kidding...3 weeks, and then we all applaud (at least the other folks do. I know he is lip syncing anyway) thinking the song is over. Nope. Then we get verse #2 that ends in a similar way. And then verse 3 and you guessed it verse 4. By the end John was singing along and coming up with the right words most of the time. There is only so much you can say about the bar and neon lights. Right?

But, the funniest part ever was when I finally got John to agree to leave, (not too challenging). I grabbed the coats and my purse and counted for us to get up. On three we stand. Appartently everyone in our area thinks we are giving a standing ovation, and they decide to join us. We had our whole section on their feet. The folks next to us didn't get our hint and sat back down. We endured another 3 songs. I of course was laughing to whole time and wheezing out 'we just want to leave.'

So there you have it. If I could contribute to Rachel's Like It/Don't Like It blog, I would be mixed. Mostly hated it, but with a few really choice moments that I don't ever want to be without. Oh yeah and one of the singers was Wayne Newton with a mullet! Top that!