Whaaaaaat Uuuuuup?

Hola.  Yowzers, I've been hella boring lately, huh?

Well, sorry about that.  I've been living in a Diet Dr. Pepper/anger over world 7 of Mario 3 fog.  But a little bit has happened in the interim.  Don't get too excited, though.  It's not exciting.

Here's what going on in our neck o' the woods.

1.  I am thinking of going to my Weight Watchers meeting tonight but not weighing in.  I realize that this is a cheap and cowardly thing to do, but I'm kind of a cheap coward so I don't care.  Also, I just ate about eight pounds of food.  Okay, two.  Maybe what I'll do is drink like a gallon of water and then go weigh in and when they're all, "Mandy, you lard ass, you gained 14 pounds!" I'll be all, "Whatev!  I totally just drank a few gallons of water because I'm healthy."  And then they'll be shamed.

2.  I was so frustrated with world 7 of Mario 3 that I whistled my way outta there.  And then once I got to world 8, I was instantly nostalgic for the days where all I had to worry about was those little plants spitting fire at me.  Plus, I'm like totally out of goodies (raccoon suits, p-wings, etc.) and even though I stocked up on lives at the coin castle, I'm really considering just quitting.  Child Mandy was far superior to adult Mandy, what with her frustration threshold and commitment to a cause.  Adult Mandy's all "F this!  I'm gonna watch Brothers & Sisters!  I'm sick of dyin'!"

3.  Oh, why are Hershey's nuggets so irresistible?  Also, my students had irresistible as a spelling word a few weeks back and all I could think of was the Robert Palmer "Simply Irresistible" video, so I thought that if I showed it to them that it'd help them to remember how to spell the word.  That was a dumb idea, and the kids totally didn't appreciate the video.  Ugh.  Kids these days!

4.  I have sworn off soda after 3 p.m. in an attempt to sleep better and be more motivated.  Two days in, and it's working like a charm.  The house is tidy, the closets are re-organized, and the laundry is done. Do you think this newfound motivation will help me to beat Mario 3?

5.  ONE MORE SCHOOL DAY UNTIL SPRING BREAK!  Whaaaaaaaaaaaa?  Shoot yeah.  And I've got big plans.  Friday night Matty and I are cookin' up some ribs and chillin' like villains, Saturday I'm jetting off to the ABQ to hang out with Grandma Carol and Grandpa B., and then Wednesday I'm headed back east for a few days of lake house fun with the in-laws and Matt.  And then it'll be just six looooooooooooooong weeks until summer.

6.  Had this for dinner last night.  All members of the M3 household approved, especially the furry one.

7.  Have been spending much time fondling my new birthday presents.  Well, not that last one, lest I draw back a bloody nub!

So there you have it--the exciting happenings around our place.  What's going on with you?

Happy Friday!

Remember last week when I complained about being tired all the time?  Well, I decided that before jumping to the conclusion that I had either A.) narcolepsy or B.) some other make-you-tired-all-the-time malady, that I would adjust my lifestyle habits.  Because perhaps drinking a liter of Diet Dr. Pepper and eating dinner at 9:30 and then staying up until 1:30 and getting up at 6:55 to leave for work at 7:10 and then sitting in a classroom full of screaming and jumping ninth graders and then returning home to inhale a gigantic snack and then take a 3-hour nap, only to start the whole cycle again--well, maybe that wasn't ideal.

So this week I've not been consuming caffeine after eight, I've been exercising (ellipting and walking with the pup), and I've been getting to bed by midnight.  And, I must admit, I've been feeling much more awake and alert.  So that's an improvement.

Now, my feeling awake and alert could also have something to do with the fact that I had a short week this week.  In fact, I only had students Monday through Wednesday, and even though the students were acting like crazy maniacs for those three days (is it the air pressure?  a full moon?  crack in the water?), the shorter week was a godsend. Today was a teacher workday, which never even feels like work because I get to wear jeans and flip flops and there are no screaming or jumping teenagers.  Sometimes I wonder if that's what an office job is like? 

Right now I'm so relaxed and happy and the house is sparkling clean and the windows are open and all seems right with the world.  Matt will be home soon.  There might be a family snuggle nap in our future.  There are definitely Fresh Market ribeyes and twice-baked potatoes (recipe courtesy of Cassie) in our future.  And there will be conversation.  And there will be wine. 

Here's what Friday's looking like in our neck o' the woods.

 cute neighbor dog, Rider

 my favorite spot in the whole world, where I've been devouring young adult literature

 it's been in dirt for like two weeks, and it's not dead yet!

We hate to be away from each other.  E.T. and Eliot, I tell you.

What's in store for your weekend?

Poison Tax

This summer, when the healthcare debate was in full swing, while the crazies were out taking guns to town hall meetings and screaming about death panels, I saw this commercial. When I saw it my anger swelled within me (which, in addition to the gallons of soda I consume each week, may be part of why I'm so fat!). Really, stupid people? Really?

And then just the other day, I saw this one. Watch it. Watch the anger oozing from this woman as she discusses how the tiny tax on the soda [that's poisoning her children and making them fat and lazy] will break her. Priceless. Well, not really priceless. It has a price--a big price if you ask her. I just hope this genius of a mother will be able to afford her mortgage after the tax goes into effect. I mean, will little Cody and Madison get to go to college? Probably not. Damn soda tax!

I'm a big soda drinker, I'll admit. It's one of my many vices. Occasionally I'll go on some kick where I eliminate soda from my diet, but I always revert to old, bad habits. I crave it and I love it, even though I know that it's poison. I've also calculated before how much money I spend on soda, and it's frightening. We spend hundreds of dollars each year--completely unnecessarily--on soda. If I can spend that much money each year on something so silly, then it won't hurt me to spend an extra nickel or two on it--especially if that money goes toward providing healthcare for people who need it.

OR--if the extra pennies really keep me from being able to pay my bills, perhaps I could make a better choice and drink WATER. Or boxes of wine. Either will make me happy.