Make sure you go before we leave...

February 28, 2010
I realized today as Jon and I were getting ready to go to half-priced books and we both got up to go to the restroom, that somewhere along the way our moms engrained in us the idea that we need to make sure to  go before you leave. Thanks Moms!

Papa Murphys Pizza

February 27, 2010
Saturday the Murphys invited us over for dinner and a movie. We ended up watching the Hangover, which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but not for your mom to watch.

Eye Doctor

Today I went to the eye doctor. They dilated my eyes and forced me to wear these hilariously ugly shades. As the day wore on, though, I grew to like them. They frame my face really well. When I wear them, I don't feel so absurd singing in the car, calling the bank to protest ATM fees, and alphabetizing the spice rack.

Girls Night

February 25, 2010
Tonight it is just us girls! Jon is at a lecture and we are left to watch whatever we want and eat whatever we want. Annie is going to enjoy her bacon strip and I'm going to enjoy my chocolate cake all while watching HGTV.

Almost there

February 24, 2010
After hundreds of cups of coffee and/or tea, Jon has finished the first draft of his "As You Like It" chapter! Although it is not done and revisions will be inevitable, I am so proud of him for his hard work and dedication to finishing his dissertation!

SNOW

February 23, 2010
We actually got snow in Austin! This like never happens. My students were so funny, since they don't experience snow very often, they don't know the difference between snow and sleet. One student thought that since it was snowing lightly, that meant it was sleeting. I didn't have the heart to correct her.

Bad Day

February 22, 2010
What is better to make a bad day good, than Girl Scout cookies. Thank you Jon for taking care of me!

First Homemade B-Day Card

February 21, 2010
Today is my friend Sharon Greenstone's birthday. She and I meet at Deerpark four years ago. We have seen many principals and teachers come and go. This year she has the privilege to be a stay at home mom of three beautiful kiddos. I miss her on my lonely lunches and when we I need to talk about a crazy teacher. Happy Birthday Sharon!

Torchys

February 20, 2010
Another great night with friends. We meet the Reeses, Loopers, Murphys, and the Murphys friend Justin from Cali at Torchys for dinner. Then we came back to our place for cookies and the boys went to play throw-the-football-at-the-basketball-hoop or as they learned on Friday, Flicker Ball.

B & N

February 19, 2010
Our new best friend is Rick Steves. He is awesome! We have used his books to plan everywhere we will stay in Europe. We love you Rick :)

Catching Up

February 18, 2010
Jon and I had some time tonight to catch up on our TV shows and relax.

Kristen's Shower

February 17, 2010
Tonight the hostesses all got together to plan our wonderful friend Kristen's baby shower. It is going to be so pretty and awesome. Josh and Kristen are expecting their first child in early July, Timothy James. I am so excited to meet him. (ps-I totally stole this pic from their facebook page)

RLG

February 16, 2010
I continue to forget to take pictures so you just get a description of our activity today. This was our second meeting of our Realife Group. We made breakfast for dinner for everyone and it was great. It is so nice to get to meet new people and learn more about them. I'm really excited, and I think I can speak for Jon too, to really get to know our group and see what God has in store for us.

No Knife

February 15, 2010
Jon had leftovers from last night for lunch today. Apparently, he did not have a knife to cut the pork. He is so creative :) Anyways, he sent this to me at school today and it gave me a pretty big laugh.

My Valentine

February 14, 2010
My favorite man is making me dinner tonight. Roasted pork loin with roasted garlic and vinaigrette, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. He is so hot!

Cupcakes

February 13, 2010
I don't know why, but I got it in my head to make cupcakes. So I did. I also purchased my first cake decorating tools today to help in the process. I hope they taste as good as they look.

Europe

February 12, 2010
After a wonderful meal with the Loopers at Chuys, Jon and I went to Barnes and Noble to bang out some Europe stuff. We gathered all of Rick Steves books, hopped on the internet, and found places to stay in London, Paris, and Rome. Next on the to-do list is the Loire and Rhone Valley regions of France. SO EXCITED!

Robisons

February 11, 2010
We had the Robisons over for dinner tonight. We fixed Penne Cardinale, so yummy. Jacob is the youth pastor at our church. He and Charis just recently married and are so cute together. I didn't take a picture of them because I didn't want to weird them out, but then I realized I didn't have a picture. So I totally google stalked them and found this picture.

LOST

February 10, 2010
We are pretty into Lost, but very excited that this is the last season. It is so confusing and we always have so many questions afterwards. I think we finally have realized to just embrace the crazy. After we watched Lost, we watched a much lighter show Modern Family. I think Jon and I agree that this is our new favorite show.

Tired

We've been busy lately, and pretty stressed. Hence four hasty blog posts in a single day. This whole picture-a-day thing better lead to a book contract, or at the very least a Matt Lauer interview. Perhaps it's just my imagination, but our level of exhaustion is mirrored in Annie's face:

(Note too that she's surrounded herself with her toys--a poor substitute for our attention.) That said, Tuesday we were very glad to start our church small group! It went pretty well, despite my tendency to ask "I'm thinking of a color" questions.

Basketball

On Monday night I went to the Kansas/Texas basketball game, in which Kansas beat the ever-loving tar out of UT (to my great pleasure). At the same moment that I was high-fiving my friends, April was making chili. Since she had the camera, it's her activity that gets chronicled here. We were cooking for our whole small group (shout out), so we had to start with four pounds of ground beef. Get a load of this:

The Big Game

Sunday we went to watch the "big game" with friends. I call it the "big game" because apparently the Super Bowl guards its naming rights quite fiercely. Anyway, this is the picture April chose, though I'm quite unsure why. I don't even remember what I was thinking at this moment. I think I was trying to look cool, but clearly I failed. Here are some possibilities of what's on my mind:

1. "I bet April finds this smoldering look in my eyes attractive."
2. "That barbecue sauce is too far away for me to reach, and I don't want to get up."
3. "This is the only choice of faces besides smiling with my mouth open and both thumbs up."
4. "You took the last eggroll on purpose."
   

Pipe pail

On Friday, my friend Daniel and I went to a tobacco shop to buy a pipe and some tobacco. Folks have, of late, pointed out that there's nothing wrong with fitting the professor stereotype if that is indeed what I'm going to do. (And I'd like to think it is.) So, caving to peer pressure in a way I never will with respect to Facebook, I bought a new pipe and some very light tobacco.

In an effort to keep a healthy ironic perspective on smoking, I've chosen this pail to hold my smoking gear--matches, pipe, tobacco, extra cigar, and so on. (Incidentally, thanks to the Caldwells for the pail, which was given as a joke.)

Early Valentine's

Every year, April thinks of a new way to give me valentines in advance of Valentine's Day. She usually hides them where I'll encounter them in the course of normal daily activity. This morning she put one in my French press, assuming I'd see it before I poured boiling water into the carafe. She was wrong. It was only after I steeped the coffee for five minutes, pressed it down, and poured the delicious mixture into a mug that I saw the valentine. Poor, soaked valentine! And yet...delicious.

3Mathketeers

February 4, 2010
This year I have had the privilage to work with these two great math teachers. Elaine is in the middle and Summer in on the right. I cannot tell you how much of a blessing it is to have co-workers that are friends and great teachers.

Lost

February 3, 2010
Lost watching party tonight with the Murphys and one-half of the Loopers. Kristen made yummy enchiladas, spanish rice, salad, and cookies! Thank you Murphys for the great night.

Calendar

February 2, 2010
This is what my calendar said for yesterday, I just read it today. I completely agree!

Italy

February 1, 2010
I am obsessed with Italy! I am so excited to find a great villa/apartment for us to stay in that I can't stop...