Yummy - and off we go...

I love
LOVE Love love
those Betty Crocker Moist Delights
molten fudge cake
caramel cake
and the chocolate chip cookie one
YUM
one minute and 15 seconds and
YUM

Tomorrow,
Grant and I are off
we'll be ringing in the new year
on the Diamond Princess
together...

I have a good feeling about this year...
I think the Diamond Princess is going to launch us
into another special, memorable year...

Happy New Year to you...

This one was cool

Question #1 was "Have you ever had a season pass to Disneyland?"

You're totally like 86% California!

Ahhh... a true California Aficionado! That's just like a California Avocado but not as green. Come on over and we'll make some guacamole and chips and watch a CHP chase on the news.

How California are You?

One confused Californian

Hee Hee - I took this quiz, and well, I guess I'm not SO Cal enough... (I knew I should have answered that I see anorexics everywhere and that I'd consider plastic surgery at the first sign of a wrinkle...

ah well... its like that SO CAL Barbie list... Huntington Beach is just a little pocket of culture all its own...

Are You a Northern Or Southern Californian Your Result: You're One Confused Californian Okay, so maybe you've been transferred around the state, but most likely you're just from Fresno. I mean black beans and pinto, really, both are good. All you know is that you are proud to be from the state of fruits AND nuts, and your a little of both. :)
You're a Northern Californian
You're a Southern Californian
You Don't Know Cali
Are You a Northern Or Southern Californian

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S

I was so looking forward to this play ever since I first heard about it! And it was really good. I love when there is some improve, the characters had stories, an it wasn't altogether predictable. It had me laughing out loud during some parts.

Great show! I would totally see it again!

Good Friends, Good Times

Today, I went to lunch with the Cathy and Katherine - We hung out at Katherine's house and snaked all day, talked, had sandwiches, and watched TV. It was an awesome afternoon.

Also, Katherine lent me two dresses to wear on the cruise. I will have new dresses for my formal pics! Yipee!

Andrew and I

Yesterday after school, I met Angie and the kids at Disneyland. They had been there since around noon (they didn't have school!) and Cori was pretty tired, so Andrew and I stayed for another couple of hours.

Andrew was so funny!

"Did you know that along time ago they used feathers as pens?" he asked me while we waited for the train to arrive at Main Street Station.

"Yes," I said, "they called them quills."

"That's right!" he exclaimed, "I think my mom used to use them when she was little..."

HA HA HA!!!!

Later that night, we were eating dinner at the Grand Californian, and Andrew wanted dessert. Unfortunately the register was closed and they were counting the money and closing up. As I was throwing the trash away, Grant went up and asked the lady at the register if he could have an ice cream. She said yes! She gave him one for free...

That kid... only he could get something free at Disney....

Paper Cranes

The paper crane has become an international symbol of peace in recent years as a result of it's connection to the story of a young Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki born in 1943. Sadako was two years old when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945. As she grew up, Sadako was a strong, courageous and athletic girl. In 1955, at age 11, while practicing for a big race, she became dizzy and fell to the ground. Sadako was diagnosed with Leukemia, "the atom bomb" disease.
Sadako's best friend told her of an old Japanese legend which said that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes would be granted a wish. Sadako hoped that the gods would grant her a wish to get well so that she could run again. She started to work on the paper cranes and completed over 1000 before dying on October 25, 1955 at the age of twelve.

On Tuesday, I went to visit Amy in the hospital. She is not doing very well. Her tumors have grown back since the radiation and the chemotherapy is not reducing her cancer. Instead, her cancer is spreading. She is on a lot of pain medication. When she is awake, she spends time in the craft room making crafts, which she loves to do. Her whole room is decorated for Christmas. I spent the evening with her on Tuesday.

On the way out of the hospital, I noticed a large Christmas tree in the lobby.

As I looked closely, I realized that the tree was decorated...

...with paper cranes.

December? The tenth?

yes, time flies. Don't was all know it.

It's been a whole - but I've been busy. I have all of my trimester one report cards done - they were done electronically this year which was pretty cool. Every year I try to find ways to make it not so grueling - and every year I teach right up till the last minute and then do a ton of grading. 2nd trimester is going to be really tough, because we have the first round of conferences, and we have an extra week before break, which if course, I am not going to use.

I have started a new program in my class that I was trained one earlier this year called Jr. Great Books. It is such an awesome program! Also, it is such a neat way for me to observe my students in a way I never realized before. I am SO loving it!

I actually got all of my Christmas Cards out already. Unbelievable to me!

Winter break is right around the corner! Only 2 more classes for my Spanish class and I am done with that. I am looking forward to a break.

Last night, Grant and I went shopping. We went to Vans and got some shoes for us and for some upcoming baby showers, and we went to Old Navy and Mervyns and bought some clothes. I love shopping with grant because he was such a good eye about what is cute. I think he doesn't mind shopping with me, except he says I take too long in the dressing room. Hee Hee.

Well, thats all for now!