THE Best Black Friday Tip Ever

Get up early (or better yet, sleep in) have a great cup of coffee in a comfort of your bathrobe, plan your day and spend it with your family. Oh ye... and shop online for the things you truly NEED. Don't succumb to the pressures of the fellow early bird sleep deprived shoppers and buy things JUST because they are on sale! Buyer's Remorse: was a phrase I happened to teach this week to my ESLers. We all know the feeling, this Black Friday, don't become a victim of one!

Good Timing Video

This video was referred to me by my instructor for an online class I am taking for my master's. I am guessing the statistics provided are credible. It is interesting that I got to watch this on the eve of Thanksgiving. Its short and sweet. I hope you watch it.

One Smart Cookie

Last week, after receiving about 5 very obviously plagiarized papers, I gave my students a serious lecture about how it is wrong to plagiarize and how dare they insult my intelligence. I made an effort to explain to them that teachers are much smarter than students give them credit. Today, I proved myself wrong.

After administrating a spelling quiz, I turned around to see that the entire list of words tested was posted on the wall. Right behind me. Not a single soul made a beep, a grin, or a giggle during the 15 minutes of me administrating the test. Their ESL teacher proved herself to be one smart cookie today, no doubt about it.

Life's Hard When You're My Student

Right after the class began I sent two boys down to the office to get a late slip who tried to challenge me on that in front of the whole class, but grumbled their way to the office and back.

During class presentations, a student asked me if he could go back to the library to get his pen and his pencil which he forgot.  I gave him, a  "you have got to be kidding" look and continued listening to the presentations. 

Right before the class ended, I asked for a different student's cell phone when I caught him using it in class who refused to give it to me.  I had to call security on him. He is usually a pretty mellow student, but decided to have an attitude today.

The next class of children  teenagers that I am teaching is full of not such bright students to whom I usually have to repeat simple directions atleast 5 times.   When after explaining that students need to complete TWO sides of the worksheets 5 times, I HAD to shake my head and say nothing when a student asked me, "Which side do we do?"

I really wish I could write : DON'T mess with the lady who had 5 hours of sleep, sat in 3 hours of meetings in the morning and has a VERY difficult exam coming up in the evening.   Just don't. 

What They Didn't See

We had three families over for lunch yesterday. When they came in, the house was clean, table set, food hot and ready to serve.  Here is what they didn't see:

Saturday
Morning: I take half a day to do homework and study while kids are at grandmas.
Afternoon: I pick kids up, take them to the store, lock my keys in side my van and wait for the roadside assistance to open the door for me. A quick trip turned into an hour. I thank God my parents were with me at the time to help me out.
Evening: Abigail and I watch Fiddler on the Roof, the musical at the high school I work at.

Sunday
9 am I begin making salads for guests during breakfast. This task takes up longer than should as multitasking slows me down.
10am Husband is done reading the Bible to the kids and we rush upstairs to get ready.
10:30 my husband is trying to get the kids out the door when my son starts being picky about his socks and shoes.
10:35 hubby drives away, son starts crying his eyes out.
11am child is still crying in disbelief that his daddy could do such a thing.
I lure him away from the bedroom with a promise of something sweet and go to put my baby for a nap.
11:30 baby is still in my arms wanting to sleep with me holding him.
12pm I finally put the baby on his bed and turn on the live streaming of the church service and start making hot meals. Son is walking around, throwing crumbs of food all over first floor, goes up to the second floor, sees his church clothes, remembers that he was left behind and starts crying again. 
12:30 son spills over a greasy bowl of soup the same second the baby wakes up (early) from his nap. The babe is in the bad mood, crying as I am trying wipe the floor, the chairs and son and sautee chicken.
1pm. I am still cuddling the baby and cooking with one free arm, look around to see 1st level a complete mess, kitchen sink full of dishes and countertop filled with unfinished dishes. I feed the baby and go back to cooking. I panic.
1:40 husband comes home to a messy house and a paniky wife. I tell him that next time i would rather entertain on a day when he is home, helping me. He tells me to do the impossible: relax. We I frantically start cleaning the house.  Hubby is taking his time vacuuming the place. 
2:30 my food is ready to serve, but my guests are not here. I start calling guests and they tell me that my husband told them to come whenever. I give my husband the evil eye and explain to him hot food cannot be served WHENEVER and tell him that he is never to coordinate lunches or dinners with our friends. I glace at my juicy, flavorful chicken that just finished roasting in the oven and think how it would just not taste the same when I serve it WHENEVER.
4pm All guests arrive, and we sit down for lunch.
10pm All guests leave and I feel satisfied that the evening went well and the food was great. We talk about what was, is and what is to come. Guys leave to use the sauna, girls talk about life and babies.
11pm as I lay in bed, I think that I would do it all over again, even if it was just as hectic as today.

Free Day At the Park and Free Clothes!

What a day we had today!  My sister came in the morning and made waffles with my kids.  How they love to help out!  Watching them being so interested in helping, makes me want do more baking with them. 

After our very yummy whole wheat waffle breakfast, we decided to go to the Japanese Garden as today's admision is free.  This was our first time to the park and the season was for sure right to go there. 

The weathermen promised rain and more rain.  It ended up being a perfect fall weather.   We were even spoiled with some sun today. 

Our model.  The babe had no idea where we brought him, but enjoyed looking at ponds. 

I love my daughter's profile.  She is seriously studying Japanese landscape art here. 

The only downside about coming to a beautiful place like this for free is all of the other people who are taking advantage of this opportunity with you.  It was crowded!  At the entrance we were asked to turn off our cell phones as this area (I am guessing) is an area of meditation.  However, there were lots of people walking and talking, and mommies (myself included) trying to get through narrow pathways with their strollers.  Though this picture is blury, you can see the most famous place to take pictures there: the bridge.  What you can't see it the stream that flows underneath it and other gorgeous colors;trully, one of the best places in Portland to take pictures. 

My day was finished with washing and putting away a ton of used boy's clothing my sister in law gave to me.   I have never had so many handmedowns; it was pretty exciting! 

Nicolas is wearing his "new" sweather and a coat from that ton.
This guys loves to pose and we think is very photogenic. 

My Other Love

Its official, people, I have found myself a new obsession love.  In fact, to second a fellow blogger, if I wasn't madly in love with my husband, I would marry Joe. 

The store close to my house is celebrating their 1st year anniversary today.    I befriended it early on and have been loyal ever since.   I only wish I could afford to do all my grocery shopping there.   Maybe then, I would actually look forward to this task.