Le Petit Prep

Probably not good driving weather yet...

2010-02-07T10:45:00.002-05:00

This message (especially the picture) does not encourage me to drive today!

I think I will enjoy a day with the students building snowmen!

Friday Fill-in

2010-02-05T23:33:00.002-05:00

1. I know I will make the best out of missing the girls' weekend with my friends.
2. I hope February is not the longest month.
3. You can't help but hope for the best in every situation.
4. Teaching five classes, living in the dorm, coaching two sports; bring it on!
5. Where have you looked for pants that fit 4'11'' women well?
6. My bed is now available to sleep after a long day.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to enjoying the snow, tomorrow my plans include building a snowman and Sunday, I want to ski!

Let it snow!

2010-02-05T21:52:00.002-05:00

I ended up stuck on dorm duty for our Long Weekend due to colleagues not being able to make it in... so, no weekend with my college friends, oh well!

Let it snow!

I want to make a huge snowman tomorrow! Stay tuned for a picture... hopefully!

The Power of a Doppelganger

2010-02-04T22:37:00.003-05:00

Before this week, I had no idea what a doppelganger was. Everyone was putting pictures of famous people who looked like them on as their profile photo. I thought... must be another Facebook thing like the bra color was last week... So, my friend helped me find a picture using this website. Interestingly enough, I have been receiving (and ignoring) quite a few random friend requests. I wonder what the trend will be on Facebook next week...

In the middle of winter...

2010-02-03T16:54:00.003-05:00

... it is nice to receive this in the mail:
My travel documents for Costa Rica! Hooray! I am going for 10 days over my Spring Break in March. I can't wait-- both coasts, volcanoes, rain forest, hot springs, resorts, and many other fun activities! This package definitely made the day go by faster!

Has anyone been to Costa Rica? Travel tips? Thanks!

Something else to add to the "I'm a grown up" list

2010-02-02T20:32:00.004-05:00

I have relied on YouTube for "how to" videos since the website began. I was laughing to myself thinking about how my searches have changed...

Summer 2004
How to tap a keg

How to make a toga

to

Winter 2010
How to make a diaper cake

By the way, does anyone have any suggestions? I have a few baby showers coming up and thought that this project would be so simple, but I think it looks complicated. Thanks!

New England Ben and Jerry's love!

2010-02-01T17:28:00.003-05:00

The Ben and Jerry's ice cream was 2 for $5 in my supermarket-- time to treat myself. As a New England girl, I am a huge fan of this limited edition flavor...

YUMMY!

Fill-in

2010-01-31T21:08:00.004-05:00

1. If I weren't a boarding school faculty member I'd love to be a travel writer.

2. When I'm super upset I like to work out or call my mom.

3. My favorite thing about myself is that I never give up.

4. If I found a $100 in the pocket of last winter's coat I'd spend it on my getaway with college friends next weekend.

5. Even though some people might consider this a flaw, I love my height. I will never be taller than any guy!

6. I love the way I feel right after a good workout.

7. I love my hair most when it's away from my face.

2009--Did I do it?

2010-01-31T00:06:00.002-05:00

- Finish the Master's degree
NO
My thesis advisor never got back to me, so I am taking three courses instead. I took one in Summer 2009 and god-willing will finish the last two this summer.
- Continue to stay in shape and eat healthy meals
YES
I am currently at my lowest weight since freshman year of high school. I am not sure how I lost weight through the holidays... but I am not complaining. I have taken a ton of Les Mills classes and have made some great friends from the gym. I need to learn how to cook more meals, does eating healthy at the school dining hall count?
- Develop my relationship with Consultant Boy
MAJOR NO
Wow, I realize this is one of my most failed goals for 2009. On a positive note, I have clarified more of what I want in a relationship and am glad for going through that process.
- Learn how to minimize stress/ people pleasing
MAYBE
I think anyone working in this type of economy would not accomplish this goal. I do get stressed out still, but I am not as much of a perfectionist as I used to be. However, I am majorly focused on impressing my superiors at school. I have let go of pleasing my colleagues--a liberating feeling.
- Slowly start to update things in my life- for example, I just bought a new sheet set/ duvet/ comforter because the one I had was a $30 bed in bag from Filenes...
YES
My update has not been buying MORE stuff. I have actually sorted my things so I do not have all my clothes since high school and things I do not need.
- Take some trips- Tahoe is on the radar for March and somewhere in the summer...
YES
I went to San Francisco and Tahoe to visit my sister. I also went to CT/ Maine frequently this summer. Labor Day Weekend was in Cape May for a wedding. In November, I went to Gettysburg to see the Cyclorama and go camping.

Online Dating

2010-01-30T23:41:00.002-05:00

I was "single and loving it" until about December. With my busy boarding school lifestyle, I have met two of my last three boyfriends online. I met Consultant Boy on Chemistry.com and Mr. Fix-it on Match.com. My match subscription is still active, so I have been working away at searching/ contacting guys of interest. I like the search feature... I have searched things such as preppy, skiing, teacher, hiking, and even grammar! I would love to find a guy who values all five qualities! However, I am being contacted by guys who are unemployed, cannot drive because of DUIs, have kids by multiple women, too young (sorry I can't be a cougar at 27 with a 19 year old!), or openly admit to needing a green card. Needless to say, this most recent online dating search experience has been frustrating. Do you all have experience with the online dating world? Advice, please?

LL Bean signature line

2010-01-30T23:33:00.003-05:00

I was online chatting with a customer service rep from LL Bean about my dear sweatshirt. The zipper pull came off and, of course, they sent me a new one right away and I sent the old one back to them. I did not have to live without it even for a day. I also got other good news from LL Bean...
1) The skirt I have been looking at is available by phone order. I think I will order the regular size because the reviews say it is very short.

2) I told her how much I love that skirt and how I want to see LL Bean make more clothes like that skirt. She said that in March LL Bean is coming out with an uber preppy line called "LL Bean Signature" and if I like preppy... I will LOVE their new line... I can't wait for March!

Most cozy sweatshirt ever!

2009-10-23T20:05:00.003-04:00

You guys all know I am much more a cable-knit sweater and oxford shirt girl than one who wears sweatshirts; however, I could not get this sweatshirt out of my mind since I went to the LL Bean store. I ordered it on Monday and it came on Thursday. It is so soft and perfect for the mid-fall weather in PA.

Oh, my absence, SCHOOL... it has been crazy, but in a good way. The field hockey season is almost over and I am teaching fifth graders and sixth graders for the first time. There is less dorm commitment this year, which is a positive change, even though I feel out of the loop sometimes.

I will post more regularly...promise...keep me to it!

Summer movies

2009-07-23T12:03:00.002-04:00

Hangover... a must see because it is SO funny! I went with my neighbor and laughed harder than I had in a long time.

Proposal... this movie was creative and funny, certainly a good chick flick! I loved the Alaska scenery and the message that everything will work out. I left the theater feeling very uplifted.

Up... I saw this movie with my Dad on Father's Day. The movie had amazing animation and had a good message, too.

I am going to see My Sister's Keeper today. I really liked the book; however, I heard the movie has a different message/ ending. We shall see...

Can you tell movies are $4 in Maine and it has been raining? I never see this many movies in the theater in an entire year!

Another great Maine day

2009-07-22T13:24:00.002-04:00

Thanks for all your comments on my gift card post. I cannot believe that Mr. Fix-it would expect me to return the gifts. I am happy others concur with this opinion. However, like many things, it was a product of his upbringing. His parents ingrained those types of values in him fairly deeply, which made things difficult to have a serious relationship.

So, here I sit at a lovely little cafe in Maine relaxing and catching up on e-mails/ life. My brother, sister, and some friends were in town for a few days without parents. We had great days of sitting by the lake, swimming, and kayaking. At night, we cooked big communal dinners, drank wine, and enjoyed time together as it is so rare with me living in PA, sister in San Francisco, and brother in NY.

Gift card etiquette... two opposite stories...

2009-07-20T16:44:00.002-04:00

Last month, I celebrated my 27th birthday. I was dating Mr. Fix-it and his sister and parents both gave me $20 gift cards. I wrote nice thank you notes and then Mr. Fix-it and I broke up about a week later because we were just too different and the relationship was going nowhere. I saw Mr. Fix-it the other day and he was surprised I did not return the gift cards. Should I have returned the gift cards?

My friends moved up to Maine and I offered to put the stuff that did not fit in the moving truck into my car. I saw them on Friday and we had a lovely day together. They got their stuff and fed me an amazing lunch and dinner. I returned to my parent's house in Maine and saw $50 LL Bean gift card in my e-mail box. This gesture is overly generous. I am going to send a thank you note, but should I also do something like donate money to the new school they are at in their name or should I just appreciate the gesture and order some cool, preppy gear from LL Bean in the fall?

Thanks for your feedback!

Philadelphia bachelorette party?

2009-07-19T22:50:00.002-04:00

Ironically, I could plan a party in NYC a whole lot better than in Philadelphia, even though Phila is much closer to me. Does anyone have any suggestions? We want to do dinner/ dancing, not too expensive or crazy, and very fun for a group of girls.

Thanks for the feedback!

Mrs. Monogram

2009-07-19T22:38:00.002-04:00

Do you have bridal showers to go to this summer? Mrs. Monogram was a great help to me... I ordered lovely waterproof cosmetic cases for some lovely brides to be for $18 each with their full names monogrammed on the bags. They have so many colors and font choices.

Check it out: http://www.mrsmonogram.com

I did go to the SALE!

2009-06-12T15:53:00.003-04:00

I wandered to King of Prussia to check out the Lilly Sale. I was in a much more frugal mode than last year and only walked out with these two things:

The things in my size were either too plain or too much like what I already have. Cheers to saving money!

However, my friend bought me this for my birthday on Sunday:

Yeah for having one more Lilly item in my closet.

Vineyard Vines... for cheap prices!

2009-06-12T15:36:00.005-04:00

http://www.sierratradingpost.com has the following great Vineyard Vines deals:

$17.95 belts

$66 dress

$30 swim trunks- for Father's Day for LPP Dad!

I did not die...

2009-06-11T21:14:00.002-04:00

Why have I not posted for so long?

School
Boarding school is always crazy and the end of the year the pace goes to frantic with parties, graduations, getting kids out of the dorm, giving exams, correcting exams, writing 7-10 sentences on each kid I teach/ live with, ceremonies, and faculty meetings. Today was my annual "crash day" doing almost nothing all day. It was glorious, but I feel bad I was so unproductive at the same time.

Thesis
Minor detail... on June 1st my thesis proposal was due which meant I had to have all the research done and in a certain format to present to my graduate school. Of course, my advisor is nowhere to be found via e-mail or phone to approve said proposal. Grr... I guess this gives me a reason to take a little break for now.

Love Life
Here is my list for my "ideal man":

- college degree
- professional job
- does not live with his parents
- enjoys working out/ eating healthy

I am trying to stretch my comfort zone and decided the next opportunity I had to go out with a guy who did not meet my "list" I would try it. Well, that boy is Mr. Fix-it who I have been seeing 5-6 times a week for two months! He is an electrician and does not have an intense passion for exercise like I do. However, we both love the outdoors, cooking, walking, and spending time with friends. I am trying to get him to start lifting/running. It is going to be an interesting project. On top of this all, he lives in my town. So, advice for you singletons... if you think you would never be happy with a guy that drives around a pick-up truck and still lives with his parents... try it! I like Mr. Fix-it, he may not be the man I want to marry, but he is teaching me more about life and love than I have ever experienced with other guys. He is taking me away for my birthday weekend on Friday- yeah!

Introducing Mr. Fix-it

2009-05-18T20:17:00.002-04:00

I would like to introduce a new member of the "cast of characters" in my blog... Mr. Fix-it. We have officially been dating for a month. Unlike Consultant Boy, who lived an hour away, Mr. Fix-it lives less than a mile away... so this explains the lack of posts the last few weeks. Stay tuned for more info... he is knocking at the door to take me out tonight!

So, I may be blowing my clothing budget at LL Bean this spring...

2009-04-24T05:36:00.004-04:00

LL Bean just came out with a new line with a "Contemporary Fit." In other words, their clothes will not be baggy... Here are a few of my favorite items:
Of course, I can't decide between the teal or navy skirt. Did I mention they also come in shorts? Maybe teal skirt and navy shorts? There are other new and exciting things at LL Bean, but I will save those for another post!

Bridesmaid Dress Shopping!

2009-04-12T22:10:00.003-04:00

My dress in our color, pool. Hate the thing that hangs in the middle... drags on the ground.

I had a NYC bridesmaid dress shopping weekend with some of my girlfriends on Friday/ Saturday. The bride is a people pleaser and with girls in the four corners of the US- DC, Cali, and NY- she chose to get the dresses at David's Bridal.

Pros: lots of colors, styles, around the country, relatively cheap

Cons: TERRIBLE customer service, little selection in stores, not the greatest fit- especially for short women, saleswomen CLEARLY work on commission- told me every dress looked amazing and practically held us hostage before we placed orders

Of course, all the other bridesmaids are size 2-4, small framed, and TALL. So, we got a dress that flatters them. It is not the worst thing in the world, probably won't wear it again. It was a fun weekend of shopping with the girls, however.

I took the train to meet my parents for lunch to celebrate Easter. All in all a successful trip!

3 small world moments:

- In a bar on the UES, we see 4 girls from college we have not seen since I have graduated.
- My college friend is applying to business school, she has been talking to this great guy for advice on which one to choose who she picked randomly from the MBA program's website. He is one of my dearest friends from boarding school, who I saw this Saturday for breakfast.
- I plop down on a train seat to CT and across the aisle is a girl I worked with at my first summer job!

Que pequena mundo es!

iNEEDed one of these!

2009-04-12T21:56:00.003-04:00

No boyfriend= no shoulder rubs when I am feeling tense. I decided to solve this problem electronically! I had been looking at one of these for awhile. I got it last week and the verdict is: I love it! It has very HARD pressure. I lay on it before I go to bed and it kneads out the tense knots around my shoulder blades. Does anyone else have those knots? What do you do for them? As for me, the iNEED takes care of some of the tension!

Details: Brookstone $59 (what I usually pay for a massage with tip). They also have a deal that you get a $20 gift certificate for every purchase you make from the store.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T21:54:00.002-04:00

Have a wonderfully pink and green Easter! It was too cold for Lilly here today, but it will be warm soon, I hope!

Quick Check-in

2009-04-07T22:39:00.002-04:00

Thank you all for your uplifting comments on Friday night! I had a rough Saturday--ruminating about why I wasted the last seven months of my life and what I was going to do next. I could not eat anything. I went to the gym and ended up having to leave because I started crying. Sunday, fortunately, was much better. I got my appetite back and was able to be productive. It was back to the grind on Monday. One of the great things about my job is that I do not have to much time to think during the week because it is SO busy! First lacrosse game tomorrow... hooray!

Medicine for a broken heart?

2009-04-03T21:32:00.001-04:00

So, it happened... A text message this afternoon from Consultant Boy... "I did some thinking this week and we need to talk. Later this afternoon maybe?" He has been amping me up for this weekend... last weekend we talked, said how excited he was to see me... after all, it has been SIX weeks!

He called at about 5... he never felt a "spark" with me and we need to stop dating... why could he have not told me this A MONTH ago and saved my pain and suffering for so long??? So, I have nothing to do this weekend because I had planned it around HIM- ugh!

I am really hurt by this, but glad that I had the experience... back to finding the needle in the haystack :-/.

New Style Writer-- my friend from high school

2009-03-26T10:33:00.003-04:00

My friend from high school was born to be a Style Writer. He has landed a great gig at Radar Online writing about all the newest fashion trends. I am trying to get him to write an article on Lilly's big anniversary. It helps that his step-mother is Angela Moore.

Check out his page: http://www.radaronline.com/category/news/style

A picture of him with Shannon Doherty.

Some of my favorite bracelets from Angela Moore's PINK and GREEN collection!
Nice bright pink and green (would go well with Lilly!)
Classic pink and green whales

How cute!

2009-03-26T10:31:00.001-04:00

How cute are these new kids clothes from Vineyard Vines?

Chillaxin!

2009-03-12T14:49:00.002-04:00

Ah... my trip went so smoothly and I am now camped out on my sister's couch in California. I am going to take a walk in this nice warm weather soon... I am just enjoying this relaxation for now. We have big plans for skiing, wine-tasting, and fun the next week. My sister and I bought the exact same "Everyone loves an Irish Girl" t-shirt to celebrate next Tuesday night- hooray!

Blog Reader?

2009-03-11T09:52:00.002-04:00

I am finally going to quit Bloglines... I can never get accurate feeds and it is just an annoying interface. I would like an interface where I can make comments easily and does not spaz all the time and list 200 posts as new for 5 of your blogs on a daily basis. Any thoughts? How do you ladies read your blogs?

PS: Can you tell I am on Spring Break and finally have some time to kill?

Ode to small airports...

2009-03-11T09:11:00.002-04:00

I have not had the actual flying experience yet, but here is what I like about small airports (why it is worth the extra $$$).

-hardly any traffic on the way to the airport
-super friendly employees
-cheap weekly parking
-less crowds
-no waiting in line
-free Internet

I think I am going to do this more often... maybe not after my tiny connecter plane to DC... we'll see!

The Sisterly Squaw Valley, San Francisco, and Sonoma Soiree!

2009-03-11T08:55:00.002-04:00

I am off for an alliterative Spring Break... The Sisterly Squaw Valley, San Francisco, and Sonoma Soiree! I will be going out to CALIFORNIA (perfect timing as it is rainy and 40 degrees here) to see my sister. We will be skiing in Squaw Valley, site-seeing in San Francisco, and sipping wine in Sonoma. It is going to be so fun! I am very lucky to have the time off to do this type of trip. It will be nice to see my sister and her boyfriend. It is also a bonus that my boarding school is having a San Francisco Area Alumni Dinner. Although, I am not Bay Area alumni, I happily called the Alumni Office and got on the invite list. I know about a dozen or so people who will be there. Of course, I also have grand plans to relax, work out, and work on my thesis as well... we shall see what happens!

Sobering Party

2009-03-11T08:47:00.003-04:00

My party went off without a hitch on Saturday night! There were 5 unique chilies and plenty of laughs for all; however, there was a markedly different mood than previous years because of the economy. We have not been exempt from the economic crisis that has hit the entire nation and our boss has had to make several "tough decisions." I have been working in overdrive all winter and, for now, my job is safe. I am very thankful and it is going to be hard to say good-bye to some good friends.

Sunday was full of grading and writing extensive comments for all 60 students I teach. It was a beautiful day and I even got outside for some exercise. I went over to dinner at a friend's house. The most sobering thing happened on Monday morning when I woke up with the stomach flu. I hate the stomach flu more than anything! I had not had it in several years. I had my first food on Tuesday night.

Have fun at the Lilly/ Martha event! That show is fun... my uncle was on it last year at this time.

Winter Wonderland

2009-03-02T20:01:00.002-05:00

I am trying to enjoy the winter wonderland as I alternate between writing exams, comments, and cleaning my house for the Chili Party. The no Facebook thing is working out really well. I am not as up to date with everyone's lives, but it is nice to free up some time. I am hoping all my students are studying hard for their exams. I made them review flashcards on http://www.quizlet.com which they love! If any of you are taking classes that require memorization of large amounts of words, make some cards on quizlet- it has been a godsend! Back to cleaning...

Hysterical RSVP

2009-02-28T12:09:00.002-05:00

Well, I was about to throw myself a pity party instead of a chili party, then, I received this e-mail from one of my colleagues RSVP'ing for himself and the two other teachers who live in his dorm.

When we've finished our last winter class
We'd love to come share a tall glass
Some chili we'll bring
Your tongue for to sting
And gas to blow straight out your ass

To your domicile many will roam
Seeking beverages brimming with foam
Since no wine had been bought
As your trip was for naught
And your GPS found a new home

The (name of dorm) teachers numbering three
Would like to come eat some chili
We'll laugh with our friends
Hope the night never ends
So consider this our RSVP

Some background, this was my invitation to the faculty:

’Twas the first night of Spring Break
Everyone has been working hard and there are plans to make
The students are all done with their exams
Correcting and writing comments are in our plans

This invitation is sent to bring you good cheer
A night of chili and fun as the spring season comes near
So, get ready to make your chili in your favorite pot--
whether it be vegetarian, mild, or piping hot

It is on Saturday night this year
All the Catholics can eat meat, without fear
If making chili is something your schedule does not permit,
please supplement as you see fit

OK, time to stop with the poetry and work on exams/ student comments.

RSVP etiquette?

2009-02-27T19:41:00.002-05:00

Last Thursday (over a week ago), I sent out a paper invitation with a lovely poem inviting people to my annual chili party requesting an RSVP with my phone number/ e-mail. Usually, by this time, several people would have RSVP'd. This year, TWO people have RSVP'd and both can't come (out of about 70 people). I wonder if everyone is just stressed (see previous post) like me or if there is something else wrong... I could also be overanalyzing the situation. The party is a week away... I am hoping the RSVPs start rolling in...

By the way, I gave up Facebook until March 6th (exam day)! I am feeling a little less stressed- thanks to your comments... one thing at a time!

STRESS

2009-02-27T06:17:00.002-05:00

We are going through a bit of a meltdown here at Casa LPP. There is one week until Spring Break and I feel as though expectations have jumped from challenging to unreasonable. If I receive any more e-mails saying AND you must do this... I may have a conniption... Already, it has been AND you must have your comments in two days earlier than you usually do, AND you must have your dorm comments in a week and a half early, AND all your comments must be LONGER and more PERSONALIZED, AND you must attend all meals from now until Spring Break, AND you must prepare each student individually for the exams, AND your exams must be written by Monday, AND you must ensure that students do not fail, AND you can not mention that a student is not working hard, AND you must do room inspection and dorm cleanup each day over the weekend, AND you must stay on campus all weekend, AND on top of this all... we are not going to tell you if you have a job next year until the end of March...

Of course, we do all of this, because "we exist here solely to please the students." Can we please the students if the faculty are stretched so thinly that we are about to rip apart, AND have so much stress that it is painful to keep a smile on my face, AND get up at obscenely early hours in the morning to write blog posts only to have to rush to photocopy, go to breakfast, room inspection, dorm inspection... all before the day begins???

END RANT

CB's sense of humor

2009-02-23T15:00:00.003-05:00

In the midst of the GPS massacre of 2009, I forgot to mention a funny story from the weekend. When arranging the date, Consultant Boy asked if I wanted to have threesome. He was at the car wash and I could not hear him well, so I thought he was asking if I wanted to have A threesome... NO! He laughed and told me to go to http://www.thumbprintcellars.com. They have a special wine called "Three some" which combines Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. They also have wines called "Four play" and "Climax." The wine was amazing and definitely was a lot more comfortable for me than the alternative!

Lost

2009-02-22T18:56:00.002-05:00

After a so-so night with Consultant Boy (he did not do anything to make up for Valentine's Day- pizza, boggle- really simple, but OK) I go to my car to find that it has been broken into and my GPS is GONE! I freaked out, but counted my blessings. My gym bag was in the back seat and still had my ipod/ running shoes. The GPS is just an object and can be replaced. Half the reason I went down to seee CB was to go to a wonderful HUGE wine store that beats the PA wine selection by A LOT! Of course, CB said it opened at 9, but I arrive and it opens at noon. I was planning on picking up some interesting wine for a party I am having in two weeks. I found my way back to my gym without a problem, although I know my GPS would have taken me a quicker way. The GPS was not too expensive to replace (thanks, Amazon!), but not what I need to spend money on now. CB and I are not going to see each other for a month because of conflicting schedules... he is in NYC next weekend, Vermont the weekend after that, I am in California the weekend after, and he is at his sister's house for the weekend for his niece's birthday. He did not seem too upset about this arrangement. Perhaps this will be a good time for me to sit back, think, and entertain my options.
It is the week before exams at school, so it will be busy. Spring Break is on the horizon... 7 more days of classes. The first day of Spring Break means I host a chili cookoff for the entire faculty and staff. It is always so much work, but tons of fun... Off to cleaning and watching the Oscars!

The Roller Coaster of Life

2009-02-14T15:46:00.002-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, Ladies! I have been on quite the roller coaster... Consultant Boy was originally supposed to be in Chicago this weekend and I was thrilled when he messaged me on Thursday night to say that he was home. Unfortunately, he called me on Friday and explained to me how backed up he was on a project. His team has been reduced in size due to staff cutbacks and he did not get much done at work this week because people asked him questions all day. I invited him over for dinner and he said he would get back to me. He did not get back to me until 3:30 today and wants to do something next weekend because he is going to be working so much. To top it off, he did not even say "Happy Valentine's Day" to me. I am not huge into Valentine's Day, but when you have been dating someone since September, he just needs to say it. I am so bummed and sitting around crying, etc... I did invite my neighbor over for dinner and hope she comes.

On to happier things, the girls loved the personalized heart-shaped sugar cookies I made for them. They took pictures of them and were so excited. It is nice to know someone appreciates what I do!

Recession-proof Pedicure

2009-02-11T22:28:00.001-05:00

Everyone wants to get their toes nice for Valentine's day... or the spring-like weather we have been having here... but who can spring for a pedicure in these tough times?

I am trying to put together a pedicure routine, but struggled with the dead skin on my feet. Finally, a cheap solution... Vaseline. I slather my feet with the stuff and then put on old socks, go to bed, and after two nights-- baby soft feet! Hooray!

Any more fun, cheap ideas... bring them on!

Self-improvement day

2009-02-09T21:58:00.002-05:00

In order to be constantly giving myself to others, I need to have a little self-improvement every so often. I worked out today and then treated myself to a massage at the gym. In between my shoulder blades gets so knotted up with stress, it is good to have someone else work out the tension every once in a awhile. I had an eye doctors appointment for the first time in five years (!) and came out with new glasses, etc... for only $52. I am very thankful for good health insurance. I bribed myself with a Passion Iced Tea at Starbucks to sit and grade for a few hours and then was off for a therapist appointment. I have only met with this woman a few times and am not quite sure how I feel about her. I am going to see her because I need someone to give me strategies on how to deal with anxiety and it is good to have someone to talk to outside of my friends, family, and colleagues. Overall, I am well-rested to start a, what I call, an "all gas and no brake" stretch of school until Spring Break!

Sunday, Lazy Sunday

2009-02-08T15:56:00.002-05:00

I have not had a real lazy Sunday in a LONG time. I got up late and my friend called to have lunch at his house and play Scrabble. I beat him for the first time in awhile. He made a hot dog casserole that was a little salty, but one of his mom's famous recipes, so I ate it. I went to the gym and now i am just chilling at home. My chicken fajitas last night were awesome and I have some leftovers! I also am loving this 50 degree heat wave- hooray!

More garlic (and wine), please!

2009-02-07T21:00:00.002-05:00

The students and I had a great day skiing, despite the -10 degree windchill. I am still sore- yeah! I was officially off duty this morning and went to yoga, did errands, etc... Consultant Boy called and he has dinner with his family tonight and is orienting a friend to Philadelphia who might be moving here for a job. So, despite my free weekend, we cannot hang out. Bummer! I said that he should come over for dinner next weekend (VALENTINE'S DAY). I have NEVER had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day... Now, this is when I pick up another mini-rant on the economy... He is going to be with his client (most likely) ALL weekend! Trying to save the company he is working for while securing his own job. Ugh! He said: "Maybe we will hang out in a couple of weekends, but don't worry- I will call you."

So, tonight, I cooked up a bubbling skillet of chicken fajitas with plenty of garlic and a sipping a chardonnay (I realized I almost forgot how to use a corkscrew- Consultant Boy usually does this). I redboxed two movies and am enjoying a night in with just me... for a change...

Bring on the garlic... don't have to worry about the bad breath tonight!

Update

2009-02-04T14:43:00.004-05:00

Thank you all for your sweet comments on my teaching post.

The agenda for this afternoon is CLEANING, CLEANING, and more CLEANING! My apartment looks unfit for someone to live in it. I hereby am banning myself for the computer for the afternoon/ night to get this goal accomplished.

After I finish, I may watch:

Last weekend, I went hiking and then went down to see Consultant Boy. We watched Slumdog Millionaire- it was amazing! We walked around his neighborhood the next day and went out to lunch. The rest of the day was just relaxing-- playing boggle, watching the tennis match, and then the Super Bowl. I met his best friend (good sign- right?) and stayed late on Sunday night. Needless to say, this week I was exhausted and I can't wait to catch up on some sleep. I also think it is a good idea for me to keep off match.com looking for his profile activity. It upsets me too much.

We have long weekend starting today and classes again on Tuesday- hooray for that!

All in a day's work

2009-01-29T22:26:00.002-05:00

With the current economic downturn, I have many friends who are quitting/ losing their jobs and trying to "make a difference in the world." Many of them are lured by a job that has the summers off and gets out a 3PM-- teaching! I need to be balanced in my discussion of the realities of teaching. Each day I teach a kid something- and usually something about more than just history- about life. I truly feel I make a difference with the students I teach. I also love the process of intellectual growth. I will often teach about a subject I never studied--like the Arab-Israeli Conflict--do a whole bunch of research and then try to make the subject accessible and interesting to a group of 12-13 year olds. I thrive on the challenge. But, all of this comes from a lot of REALLY hard work. Those summers and afternoons "off" are often spent tirelessly preparing for the next school year.

I am not sure why all this is hitting me at once, but I do so much for my students. Just tonight, I wrote about 10 e-mails to students and parents who had a last minute question about my test tomorrow... and of course, I am writing the tests, after all the review sheets, Jeopardy review games, and lessons. This is all while I am taking care of the girls in the dorm... lots of drama tonight- it happens with teenage girls! Off to take brownies out of the oven... just baked for a 14th birthday tomorrow!

25 Random Things

2009-01-27T15:49:00.005-05:00

I just did this for Facebook, and thought I would share with everyone!

1. I always park far away in parking lots. I don’t want to fuss over getting a spot and usually enjoy the walk.

2. I cannot parallel park for the life of me. I have been in several situations when it would have been easier to parallel park, but I have always found a way out of it.

3. The mile took me 18 minutes in elementary school, back when I loved to swim and hated to run. I could have never imagined enjoying exercising as much as I do now.

4. I have been to 19 countries, largely spurred by a semester living (and sometimes studying) in Maastricht, Netherlands.

5. I spent a year working at a military boarding school in the middle of nowhere and LOVED it!

6. In my adult life, I have never paid for cable television. I still have rabbit ears on top of my TV catching whatever they can get.

7. I grew up attached to a dorm of 40 teenaged boys listening to their colorful language each night.

8. My family begins each year writing compliments to one another. It is interesting to look back on previous years and nice to pull out some compliments whenever I am down.

9. One random goal I have is to be self-sufficient enough that I will not need to buy IKEA furniture again. I hate putting it together and always seem to mess up somewhere—example my bookcase that still is not always together.

10. I love to bake—I just got a KitchenAid mixer. My favorite things to bake are brownies and my grandma’s banana bread.

11. I do not understand why some people do not have EZPass and am more perplexed why those people drive in the EZPass lane and try to merge at the last minute.

12. I am more productive and effective when I do things last minute—this leads to a lot of stressful moments.

13. I look forward to sending Christmas cards each year. I usually send about 150 and write personal notes on all of them.

14. I wanted to be on “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego” so much when I was younger that I wrote a letter and was devastated to hear that they only had contestants from the Los Angeles area. Now, I teach Geography!

15. My high school mascot is a rhino and is the reason I have a significant collection of rhino memorabilia.

16. I wanted to tour Yale when I was in fourth grade—getting ahead on my college search.

17. I was born with my left eye shut and have had eye surgeries to correct the issue. My Dad said I winked at everyone and I would not stop winking.

18. My brother and sister could not pronounce my name and called me Dee Dee… the name still arises sometimes. I like my other nickname better—Beena.

19. When I was two, my mother made me a stuffed cookie monster and I slept with it each night until I was 12, when I lost it at camp. My mother found the pattern on E-Bay and gave it to me as a surprise when I was 22.

20. I have hiked sections of the Appalachian Trail in nine states- Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

21. I went to camp in Baxter State Park, Maine. It was $400 for four weeks. My mother called to ask if they served us food, they did.

22. I want to run a marathon at some point in my life.

23. I have little to no musical talent as one of the only students not to play in the band and the one who got the chorus all off key. I do like singing in the car and in the shower, however.

24. I am very thankful for Interlibrary Loan and do a lot of “reading” via books on CD.

25. I am almost done with my Master's degree. I want to get another degree, but I am not sure in what just yet.

Easy Italian Dinner...

2009-01-25T18:47:00.002-05:00

I love cooking, but only do it when I have company. So, tonight I made this for myself. Some girls from the dorm actually stopped by because it smelled so good, and I happily shared. I recommend this recipe..... it is easy and tasty!

Nothing to do... almost!

2009-01-24T17:03:00.002-05:00

I went to yoga this morning and had a fantastic class. The crowds are thinning out from the January rush "new year's" people. I came home and realized I had NO plans! Normally, I would hurry to figure something out and call people, but I decided to ban myself from the computer until 5PM and get stuff done around the house. I scrubbed, laundered, organized, sorted, and read. However, I just got a call from a girl I take excercise classes with and she wants to hang out tonight. I am off to see her now. It was a nice five hours of bliss without anything to do!

Consultant Boy had to drive back to Connecticut for a friend's father's funeral. He has contacted me each day this week and has not been active on match.com. I could spend all my time obsessing over his life, but I have decided not to. I like him is a person and we have a really nice time together. It took me until now to decide I wanted to commit and doesn't it take men longer? I am going to let it go for another month or so and see what happens.

Have a great weekend, ladies!

Too good to be true

2009-01-19T18:11:00.002-05:00

I am slowly defrosting from what was a freezing week in the Phila area. I focused on my classes and putting together an application for a summer teaching program. My boss wrote me a recommendation for the program and it was incredible. I never knew how much she appreciated what I do for the school. Friday night was relaxing... BodyPump and BodyCombat at the gym and then home to watch a movie. I saw The Story of Us-- a wonderful romantic comedy.

On Saturday, I did yoga and then was off for my LONG anticipated date with Consultant Boy. We got take out from his favorite Italian resturaunt and ate in with some good wine. I was cold and he offered me his sweatshirt... and said I looked like a "girl in her boyfriend's sweatshirt." Ah... that would have been the best moment to say, "Am I your girlfriend?" We watched Wanted (it was OK- good action flick) and I asked him if he was dating anyone else or looking to date anyone else. He said no, "It's only you LPP." So, I was REALLY happy. He confirmed it was just me.

I should have just let myself be blissed out. I went on Facebook and he put up a picture of himself as his profile picture with two girls. Earlier in our dating (in November) I checked on match.com to see if there was anyone on there in his area and his age. Sure enough, he was on there, but we had not clarified anything yet. I went on today and not only is he still there he JUST updated his profile and was active within 24 hours. This is so upsetting because he said that he was not looking to date anyone else... I am not sure if I should just enjoy our time together- we do have a really good time- and ignore this OR if I need to bring it up with him. I know I am spying and don't want him to think our relationship is about spying on each other, but I guess he and I have different definitions of what "not seeing other people" is.

Productive Weekend

2009-01-11T18:58:00.002-05:00

The weekend is over, but it was productive. It snowed some, which is exciting for some skiing this week. I got some schoolwork done and tons of housecleaning/ laundry. Sadly, I did not see Consultant Boy because I had to be on campus all weekend. We did talk on the phone and online. I was so excited to see him next weekend; however, he wants to get Eagles tickets to Arizona- ugh!

Chick Lit Review

2009-01-06T05:10:00.004-05:00

I had a chance to read some great "Chick Literature" over vacation. This series I found particularly amusing about a girl, Chelsea, and her crazy family/ life.
Chelsea Handler's first book My Horizontal Life is a little crude, but hilarious. She definitely spends some time experimenting with different types of guys and has interesting friendships along the way.

When I saw this title, I thought of one of my childhood favorites Are you there God, It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume. This book was way beyond the innocent content of Blume's, but chronicles the adventures of the same character (Chelsea) from My Horizontal Life.

Overall, if you are looking for some laugh out loud, somewhat raunchy, humor to spice up your day, reading this series would be a good idea to cure the winter blues.

The Talk

2009-01-06T04:58:00.002-05:00

Consultant Boy has returned from Europe and I am nervous because we have not had "the talk" yet about whether or not we are exclusive. We have been dating since September and spend a fair amount of time together, despite our schedules. Consultant Boy works in Chicago Mon- Thurs and I am busy during the week as well. We see each other on weekends and keep in touch through e-mail and over the phone during the week. He basically works from 7am- midnight in Chicago doing his consulting gig. He plans very nice dates and pays for everything. For example, he has cooked me a multi-course meal complete with proper wine pairings and taken me to nice places/ restaurants. I do not know whether or not to keep on enjoying this "phase" of mystery or to come out and ask if he is dating anyone else. I do not want to scare him into thinking I am too eager about our relationship, but I also do not want him to think I am so casual about things that he can date other girls. I did not have this "talk" with him before Europe because I wanted him to enjoy himself and not worry. We did end up talking over the computer every day for quite awhile. He is back in the states and e-mailed me his photos of his vacation last night and we talked online last night. He has not set up a date for this weekend... I guess Tuesday is a little early. He said he bought me some Belgian chocolates, but did not give me a Christmas present before leaving. So, I guess I am having trouble figuring out how serious our relationship is and what to do next. I have never had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day and don't want to mess things up with just a little over a month to go. Any feedback? Thanks!

Not off to a stellar start.

2009-01-06T04:50:00.004-05:00

I decided to get my car inspected at the dealership because it is cheaper than at the local mechanic. I, unfortunately, had my front lower arm control bushings slightly cracked and if they cracked all the way, my tire alignment and steering would be destroyed. I feel bad that I do not know much about cars, but was able to google some things at the dealership. Needless to say, $760 (!!!) later I had these "bushings" replaced and some fluids flushed, etc... This was not a good way to start the year. However, I feel fortunate that I plan for things like this to come up and I had the money to do it. It was not absolutely necessary, but I would rather not ruin my car or end up stranded. I wonder and worry about people that live paycheck to paycheck with every penny budgeted.

All was good because my ebay steal, a new Lilly skirt, had arrived. I went to pick it up, lo and behold, it was a GIRLS 10, not a Ladies 10. Bummer. But, it is so cute... it is back to ebay, to a friend, or who knows.How cute is this skirt?

Today will be busy... first day of class after break and I have some new students in my classes and dorm.

Sprint Phones

2009-01-04T13:05:00.001-05:00

Does anyone have Sprint phone service? Do you like your phone? I would love some feedback. I just need the phone for very basic things-- talking and texting. I have no desire to be completely tethered to my e-mail at all times. Thanks for the feedback!

2009

2009-01-02T21:50:00.002-05:00

Wow, 2008 was quite a year. Just a few things that happened...

- skied a lot over the winter, here on Wednesdays and a trip here
- got my heart broken right before Valentine's Day
- threw a Chili Party at my apartment for the entire faculty/ staff
- went to take a course towards my Master's degree in Alabama about Civil Rights- a fascinating experience
- coached the lacrosse team to win the league championships for the first time ever
- helped my mother get through an illness and then surgery
- took three grad classes over the summer and finished all my coursework
- started my thesis
- moved and decorated a new classroom
- coached field hockey again
- went on a first date with Consultant Boy in September and we have been seeing each other ever since
- bought my first pair of brand new skis and boots
- celebrated the holidays with family and friends

What do I hope to do in 2009?
- Finish the Master's degree
- Continue to stay in shape and eat healthy meals
- Develop my relationship with Consultant Boy
- Learn how to minimize stress/ people pleasing
- Slowly start to update things in my life- for example, I just bought a new sheet set/ duvet/ comforter because the one I had was a $30 bed in bag from Filenes...
- Take some trips- Tahoe is on the radar for March and somewhere in the summer...

My New Year's was good... I had appetizers at a neighbors house, then dinner at my boss's house, and then went to another neighbor's for dessert. It is called a Progressive Dinner Party. It was nice not to have to drive. I usually have the dinner at my house, but this year I was getting back from Maine too late. I was over the moon when I saw that Consultant Boy had gotten up at 6AM to call me from Barcelona, where he is on vacation. Ah... I want to see him soon!

Here's to 2009!

Back from Maine.

2008-12-31T02:37:00.001-05:00

I woke up in Maine and now I am in PA. I wanted to miss the storm hitting the east coast tomorrow, even if it meant getting home at 3AM. Must sleep. More updates later!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T23:30:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas to all of you in Blogland!

I am quite cozy here in CT and off to Maine tomorrow morning- yeah! Santa brought the KitchenAid mixer-- any favorite recipes?

School's out for Christmas...

2008-12-17T18:35:00.002-05:00

School ended today with a pie throwing contest. The students all bought pies for individual teachers and the proceeds went to charity. The school raised about $500 and I was covered in whipped cream. It was funny and the kids had a ball! We are checking out the last girls tomorrow morning and then I am home free! I just found out I do NOT have to report for jury duty early tomorrow AM after I let those girls out...

Consultant Boy and I chatted online for a long time yesterday. He is off to Europe for an extended vacation until January 2nd... boo! I will miss him.

Our faculty holiday party is tonight and my dancing shoes are READY!

Staying in

2008-12-16T19:25:00.002-05:00

Tonight is the long awaited annual Outdoor Club holiday party. I, however, am staying in. The ice is very bad outside and normally I would tough it out, but I need to do my Christmas cards and relax. Our faculty holiday party is tomorrow night and it is dinner/ dancing. I need to be ready... it will be so fun!

Cranky

2008-12-12T10:50:00.002-05:00

So, it has been raining for three days straight. I have been preparing kids for a test for a few days-- doing reviews, etc... and the kids are all saying "Do we have a test today, Ms. LPP?" Ah... don't they understand anything? Bring on the whining. I am exhausted and ended up sleeping through BOTH my alarms this morning (I have not done this for 8 years!). Consultant Boy is going away to Europe this weekend until after the New Year and has not called me all week, he did chat with me on Facebook on Monday night (still with his SINGLE status- when will that change?). I have done little to no Christmas shopping... gotta get online this weekend. I am on duty aka. lock down in my apartment all weekend. I am getting out to chaperone kids to Penn's landing ice skating. I traditionally host a New Year's dinner cooking with my boss and this year my mother wants me to spend New Year's with the family. I am not opposed to my family, but I have a tradition that I look forward to every year and spent all of Thanksgiving and am going to spend all of Christmas with them. Can I snap out of this funk? Hopefully, soon...

A lovely weekend

2008-12-08T22:29:00.002-05:00

The SATs were profitable and I worked out afterward. Then, I baked some cookies for Consultant Boy and was off to Delaware. He took me out to dinner here. I had an amazing meal with pasta, broccoli rabe, and sausage. We had bananas foster for dessert. On the way home, I stopped by Panera to grab an Asiago Cheese bagel (Thanks Prep-E Girl for reminding me of something I always used to crave) and stopped at the Trader Joe's. It was bigger and nicer than the one in PA. I got to the gym in time before it closed for another weekend workout. I taught today and took a walk with one of my collegues. Pilates and yoga kicked my butt tonight, but I met a girl who is new to gym who is from CT and has a sister who went to my high school. We know several people in common. Yeah for a new friend in the area!

Getting in the Christmas Spirit after a long week...

2008-12-08T10:34:00.003-05:00

Getting in the Christmas Spirit after a long week...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper- once I learned how to wrap neatly, it is great.
2. Real or artificial tree? Artificial because I am away for about 10 days around Christmas.
3. When do you put up the Christmas tree? First weekend in December.
4. When do you take the tree down? By January 2nd, after my New Year's party.
5. Like eggnog? Not really...
6. Do you have a nativity scene? Unfortunately not.
7. Favorite gift received as a child? GeoSafari circa 1992- LOVED it!
8. Easiest person to buy for? Neighbor.
9. Hardest person to buy for? My father.
10. Worst Christmas gift? My grandmother gave me a denim shirt one year with a handpainted birdhouse- dreadful.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, of course. I love doing picture cards. Do people actually email cards now?
12. Favorite Christmas movie? I love A Christmas Carol because of the message it sends.
13. When do you start Christmas shopping? I do it throughout the year. Usually, I get a start at a Lilly sale.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I always use a bad gift from a student in our family "White Elephant" swap.
15. Lights on tree? Yes, white lights.
16. Favorite Christmas Song? Traditional- The First Noel, Fun- Christmas Wrapping.
17. Travel during Christmas or stay home? Travel to CT, then Maine.
18. Can you name Santa's reindeer? Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer,Vixen.
19. Star or Angel on top of Tree? Angel.
20. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.
21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The blowups on people's lawns... competitions for best lights... whiny, spoiled children... people forgetting the true meaning of Christmas.
22. Favorite ornament? A wooden figure skater that moves when you pull a string.
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? Peace on earth, but I will be happy with a KitchenAid mixer and maybe some ski accessories.

SAT Saturday

2008-12-06T08:52:00.002-05:00

I am making the easiest $95 I ever make this morning at the SATs. I get up early and sit and read instructions until about 1PM. I can read during the test and it is a somewhat relaxing experience- as long as I am not taking a test! Tonight, I will drive down to Consultant Boy's for a date which may involve meeting some of his friends- ah!
Last night, I went to the outlets and it was not crowded at all. There were so many good deals! I behaved myself and only got a pair of brown ballet flats at Gap, dress and earrings at Ann Taylor Loft, and my favorite Home Sweet Home Yankee Candle and a Candy Cane one for my classroom during the holiday season. I guess I did get a lot, but not too much.

Worth it

2008-12-04T23:00:00.002-05:00

Even though I got in at 2:45 AM on a school night, going into the city for the holiday party was worth it. The people I met in high school were unique, special people and it was so fun to reminisce with people that know me so well. I need to stay in touch with these people beyond these reunions.

I plugged through the day today and am now going to bed.

First cup of coffee this year

2008-12-03T09:05:00.003-05:00

I am having my first cup of coffee this year at school. I am exhausted and cold... Tonight I am going to my alumni holiday party at the Yale Club in NYC. It is going to be quite the trip for a Wednesday night, but these people are very important to me. I did not go last year and feel like I missed out... I will also see friends from college afterward for dinner. Yeah! Let the crazy holiday party season commence... My outfit:

Peppermint Joe Joe's....

2008-12-02T19:30:00.002-05:00

These things are addicting.... I am officially calling this the Peppermint Joe Joe incident of 2008... They are worse than thin mints, Oreos, etc...

Pants I do not have to hem!

2008-12-02T19:11:00.003-05:00

Any other petite girls out there who are tired of adding $8.50 to the cost of any pair of pants? Why $8.50? Hemming, of course! I was bound and determined to find pants that fit (chinos) without hemming or that were not capri pants to begin with. After J. Crew (too long), LL Bean (too long and boxy), Lilly (much too long and big in the hips), Gap (yes, too long), Ann Taylor (too big in the butt), and some others; I finally found the perfect pair of chinos in an unexpected place-- Ross Dress for Less. They are Docker's and are Petite Short. Yeah! They are not bad looking and for $9.99 I am wondering if Ross will get more colors in soon... Where do other people find petite pants?

Now I am really done...

2008-11-24T22:28:00.002-05:00

Everything is DONE... all comment letters, exams, grading! Hooray! I am back at my parents' house in CT.

My dinner date was very nice. He cooked a three course meal with wine pairings (in the proper glasses, too!) from his latest trip to California. The Chilean sea bass was amazing! I made him some chocolate truffle brownies-- he loved them. We played Scrabble and Boggle. I beat him in Scrabble and he blew me away in Boggle. Overall, it was a good night and I can't believe how much he did for me.

I am off to Maine tomorrow morning for a relaxing Thanksgiving! Of course, we will stop at LL Bean and J. Crew in Freeport... I hope I can be good.

First Day of Vacation

2008-11-22T14:27:00.002-05:00

I got the last two girls in a car to JFK this morning at 6:30 AM. I was ready for a Power Yoga class. I am going to be SO sore tomorrow from all the one legged squats and headstands! I feel unreasonably great after a long term, usually by Thanksgiving Vacation I am about to collapse and can't get out of bed for a few days. I am muddling through comment letters (one paragraph comments I write about each student I teach) and hope to get half done (26) by the time I go on my fourth date with the guy I have been hanging out with since September. He is cooking me dinner at his house! Enjoy the weekend!

Lilly sale update...

2008-11-21T20:42:00.003-05:00

I did not go bananas at the Lilly sale as I did last time.

I did end up with a few cute things...

The choice of the day was skirt! This skirt looked cute and it is definitely an appropriate length for teaching.

These capris looked really fun.

I also got a cute ribbon headband.

After the sale, I ran to Trader Joe's and then got back on the highway to come home to put the girls who have flights tomorrow morning to bed.

Sorry these are not my own pictures. I am tired tonight... All the exams are corrected... Comments are being written and I will be off for 10 days!

Dreams of Lilly are dancing in my head!

2008-11-20T21:19:00.001-05:00

I am ALMOST done correcting my exams and then I will be off to the Lilly sale tomorrow... I can't wait until my big decisions will not be how much credit I should give to Student X on his or her essay on the exam, but whether or not I should get the wonderful navy and white horse print in capris or a skirt- or both!

KitchenAid Mixer?

2008-11-17T21:37:00.003-05:00

I have so many things and am not desperate for any one thing for Christmas. I was considering asking for this:

Does any one have one? Do you like it? What do you make? I love to bake and think it would be a perfect piece to add to my kitchen gadgets. I also thought about a food processor--any suggestions???

Procrastination or not?

2008-11-15T20:46:00.002-05:00

Well, I have been procrastinating by doing things I have been putting off for awhile.

What I was supposed to do today:
1) Write exams
2) Write exams
3) Write exams

What I did
1) Submitted medical receipts for reimbursement
2) Cleaned out my car-- the beach bag, bike helmet, tennis racquet, and swimsuit do not need to be in at the same time as the skis, ski boots, and snow shoes
3) Organized all my receipts from my wallet and cleaned out my purses
4) E-mailed someone I have wanted to e-mail since May
5) Organized my pantry- I found 5 each of the following: onion soup mixes, diet peach iced tea mix, white beans, boxes of spaghetti, and artichoke hearts (note to self: check before I grocery shop and I am not going to need to go shopping for awhile)

Now, I am going to really write my exams, which are due first thing on Monday!!!

Note from a student

2008-11-14T18:43:00.003-05:00

Ms. LPP- I'm so sorry for my test, and I know it's really not happy and shiny, I will study much harder, I'll promise.

Ah... this week has been crazy getting my little munchkins ready for their exams. The student who wrote me the e-mail is just learning English and is so funny. I felt so bad that he failed his test, but I need to get them to study hard for the exams. I had such an amazing victory today--the student who barely could pass any of my tests early on got a 90% on a really challenging test! I immediately dialed his mom's cell phone so excited to tell her that I FINALLY had some good news for her! I am off to see a Yale acapella group with my charges... should be fun!

Pulled it off

2008-11-04T08:36:00.002-05:00

I ran an election for the entire school yesterday and 83.45% of the students participated. It was a lot of work to put together, but we had so much fun making posters and ballot boxes. I also got a bonus shout out from the headmaster thanking me for all my efforts!

Now, everyone should get out to vote today! I am walking with my 7th graders today (and then stopping by DD to get them hot chocolate to reward them for all their hard work).

I had some favorite election videos, but this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgEGtYWonds) has quickly jumped to the top.

The calm...

2008-10-29T11:46:00.003-04:00

Things have been jumbled up lately and I have been stressed out... Finally, things are working themselves out...

Saturday night, I got in my perfectly maintained car and the "Check Engine" light was on. I asked a male friend about it and he told me to go to an Autozone store and get the code off their reader. I did, of course frantically between class and field hockey, and some EGR valve had a problem. Oh no, I thought, I have to go away this weekend and cannot be driving with this problem and I cannot get to the Honda dealership (it is still under warranty) before the weekend. Thankfully, I brought it in to my local garage and I got a call from them-- a squierl had eaten through part of a valve and it cost a mere $23.85 to replace! I thought this repair was going to blow my Lilly budget--yippee!
Oh yes, the Lilly sale, I was going to have to be on campus that day, but the other person from my dorm is going to switch with me. I am going on Thursday, but if anyone wants to meet up Friday night in King of Prussia, let me know!
A kid in my class was being a HUGE pain... he now is going to be switched into another class- yeah!
The boy that took me on a lovely date two weeks ago had not called or e-mailed... He wrote me on Friday and called on Saturday!

So, for now, all is well en le vie de LPP... I will wait until the next round of stresses comes and hopefully will have faith that everything will work out just like this past week!

Target...

2008-10-22T20:44:00.003-04:00

... is opening less than a mile from my gym... this could be dangerous!

SMILE :-)

2008-10-21T21:08:00.003-04:00

I was lucky enough to receive an award this week! The SMILE award comes from one of my favorite bloggers, Eco-Prep. You should check out her blog! It is great to have someone who provides an environmental twist on the preppy lifestyle. I can't believe I inspired her to make her own blog.

The qualifying conditions are as follows:

Recipient MUST
1. Display cheerful attitude (I try really hard to be full of cheer. I have found that wearing bright colors helps).
2. Love one another ('tis love that makes the world go round!)
3. Make mistakes (Ohhh boy, if you only knew. I could be a professional in mistake making).
4. Learn from others (My best learning tool is other folks).
5. Be a positive contributor to the blog world (I would like to think that my blog makes a positive contribution to blogland. If even one person does one thing in a more eco-friendly fashion, then I've done my job).
6. Love life (I love it every single day!)
7. Love kids (Children see the world in a way that we could all stand to see it. Kids are great!)

And now, the official RULES:
1. You must link back to the creator.
2. You must post the rules.
3. You must choose 5 deserving people to receive the award next.
4. Your recipients must fit the characteristics listed above.
5. You must post the character aspects of the recipients.
6. You must create a post to share your win.
7. You must thank the giver.

There are so many blogs that inspire me on a daily basis and I am trying to give the award to ones that have not received it yet. I would like to send the SMILE award on to the following bloggers:

1. E at Prep-E Girl. Her blog always has a great combination of shopping tips and great stories from her life. Congratulations to her on her recent marriage! She is also one of my #1 commenters- thank you!
2. Sue at Preppy Sue. I live for her recipie Wednesdays and her great pictures of getaways.
3. Megan at Megan in Maine. I love Maine and living vicariously through her Maine lifestyle. She always has the latest scoop on LL Bean and I won my first giveaway through her blog
4. Cancer Sucks Even with Lilly Pulitzer on your Side. She is a blogger who remains so positive about some difficult times in her life and wears her Lilly to doctor's appointments. The music on her blog is just AWESOME!
5. Preppy Pink Crocodile. She was one of the first ones to welcome me to the community. I like her crafty ideas and can sympathize with living in an unpreppy town.

SMILE and pass it on :) !!!

Ribbon belt collection

2008-10-20T15:10:00.004-04:00

I was organizing my belts this weekend and decided to take pictures. I love all my belts and use them all in different ways. Enjoy viewing them!

By the way, my date went very well! The gardens were lovely at this time of year and we went out for a fantastic dinner here. The countryside in Northern Delaware is so beautiful!

Date #2

2008-10-17T23:31:00.002-04:00

I was officially asked out on date #2 and given the options of Longwood Gardens or Philadelphia. I am going to go here because I heard it is very pretty with the fall foliage. Hopefully it will be fun! I promise this is not going to become a dating blog and I will have more cute, preppy things for you next week!

Parents' Day is coming...

2008-10-16T21:58:00.003-04:00

We have Parents' Day looming on the horizon. I am frantic trying to get everyone caught up and make sure parents have no surprises! We are also making everything look really nice. It will be fun. On Friday night, the parents are having an Oktoberfest themed basket raffle (great schmoozing opportunity) AND I do not have to chaperone the homecoming dance- yeah!

Pajama Day!

2008-10-15T19:15:00.001-04:00

We had pajama day for school today and I wore my light pink LL Bean pajama pants with seashells embroidered on them. The kids were a little sleepy today in their pajamas all day, but it sure was interesting.

On the dating front, I got an e-mail from the boy today that said: "I did purchase a bunch of good wine that I need some help drinking now. Sadly, I don't have friends who enjoy good wine in the area and it's not fun to drink a really nice bottle by yourself (much more fun to share, especially over a good dinner)." So, is a dinner in store for this weekend?

Quick Pumpkin Idea...

2008-10-14T20:20:00.001-04:00

I put dried cranberries into the Trader Joe pumpkin bread mix and it was AWESOME! Now, if it would only get cold enough for me to carve my pumpkins...

Mini-meltdown

2008-10-13T22:56:00.002-04:00

Last week I had a mini-meltdown. I was just overwhelmed with life and school. However, after a nice long weekend (I had to work only part of it), I am ready to handle everything! We only have a four day week, then Parent's Weekend- hooray!

I resisted the urge for retail therapy this weekend by not going to all the great Columbus Day sales at the outlets and stayed home. So, I have no shopping posts. I will have one after the Lilly Pulitzer sale-- that is one day of shopping I cannot resist!

My "disease"

2008-10-04T23:36:00.002-04:00

I made it back to CT after proctoring the SATs and unexpectedly ran into a good friend from graduate school at a football game. The foliage is so beautiful and it was the perfect fall day. It was exciting to find out that my childhood next door neighbor just proposed to his college girlfriend and is getting married in June. Of course, this started the peppering of questions--serious boyfriend? Why are you not married? Oh, a twenty-six year old singleton with a look of sadness on their face as if I was sick... One family friend did mention a guy that was about my age that she wanted to try to set me up with... In case people are wondering about the waiting game, he has e-mailed to say that he does not want to call after 9 because he thinks it is impolite and he wants to see me again...I am not sure what to make of this.

Win some, Lose some

2008-10-03T22:24:00.002-04:00

Our school certainly "won" today with almost the entire faculty and student body wearing pink and jeans with a $5 donation to celebrate Lee Breast Cancer Awareness Day. To continue with the theme, I am going to CT this weekend and walking in a five mile walk for one of my mom's friends who is a 3! time survivor of breast cancer.

We lost our field hockey game because so many girls were out sick or had other commitments. I was sad about the loss, but there is always next week!

Late lights!

2008-10-02T23:30:00.002-04:00

The girls normally go to bed at 10:30, but one convinced me to let her have "late lights" until 11:30, so I am just putting her to bed. I am tired after doing work and watching the debate for a discussion with my government class tomorrow.

Yeah! I finally figured it out!

2008-10-01T14:45:00.001-04:00

I finally figured out how to shrink my header to fit perfectly into my blog. I apologize for all the awkwardness it was before! Now, it might be time for a redesign at some point... but, I have field hockey now.

All I need is a night out!

2008-10-01T14:20:00.003-04:00

Ahh... I am going out with some colleagues tonight for a low key night out at a local pub! I have been working so hard and it will be so nice to get out. I have the first two periods of the day free tomorrow, so things are working out nicely.

The guy I went on a date with called me on Sunday when I was unavailable. I called him back on Sunday night and left a message. He has not called me since. Is this bad? I was hoping he would follow through with a date he had suggested for this weekend. So, once again, I play the waiting game!

Random thoughts on the school day...

2008-09-30T10:52:00.001-04:00

The difference a door stop makes...
I thought people were ignoring me this year, but this week I put a door stop in my classroom door and I am getting visitors in droves--kids and teachers--it is really fun!

Am I an adult yet?
I have recieved 5 group e-mails today reminding us to update our homework on the website. I updated my page on Sunday for the week- can we stop with the groups e-mails, please? Does this happen in other lines of work, too?

Back to grades and comments...

Every 10 years this happens...

2008-09-29T22:12:00.002-04:00

...according to LPP Dad; however, ten years ago I was not heavily invested in mutual funds and a retirement plan. I can't believe the impact just a couple of weeks has made to my accounts. Maybe I should buy some more shares... can I deal with no new clothes for fall/ winter and buy some stocks?

Wait, I didn't quit...

2008-09-29T12:34:00.002-04:00

I have loads of things to update everyone on, but I have been over my head in the "first month of school." My classes are good, the field hockey team is having a decent season, my dorm is finally starting to learn some of the rules, I bought new skis, and I even went on a date last Sunday (AND he called me again on Wednesday and the following Sunday). We will get together next weekend. Stay tuned...

Game Night

2008-08-27T18:38:00.001-04:00

I have been like Cinderella all day on my hands and knees scrubbing my apartment. I just love the feeling of a clean apartment. This is all in preparation for game night with some people who are around on campus and new faculty. It is so fun to see all these fresh new faces! It is going to be a great year.

Country Club Casual?

2008-08-26T13:55:00.003-04:00

I was invited to a "Country Club Casual" party. Does this mean I break out my Lilly in full force even though it is on the Thursday after Labor Day?

No Internet + Olympics= Hiatus

2008-08-25T12:56:00.002-04:00

My Internet has been broken for the last 2+ weeks and I have been glued to the Olympics. I am now at the Honda dealership for my 45,000 mile maintenance appointment. I am crossing my fingers nothing is wrong. The last few weeks have been wonderful--2 trips to NYC, an amazing day on the Jersey shore, shopping, hiking, yoga, pilates, cycling, and catching up with friends. I am back to my regularly scheduled programming.

Olympics!

2008-08-08T21:48:00.002-04:00

I LOVE the Olympics... I love hearing stories about individuals that worked hard and are able to achieve a level of performance that is world class. I love how the whole world is on stage. I love how the host country displays their culture!

I was in the midst of a hectic first year teaching in 2004 and in my first year of college for the 2000 games. I am psyched to be able to watch more of these Olympics as they happen.

I just got back to PA and am watching the Opening Ceremonies- amazing! I will go to NYC this weekend to meet up with college friends for the weekend... the fun never ends!

Maineward bound...

2008-08-01T07:24:00.003-04:00

I am DONE!!! My papers and projects are handed in and I am satisfied with what was a very intellectually stimulating set of summer courses. I am off to Boston to have lunch with a friend and then to...

Maine!

You know you are grown up when...

2008-07-30T19:01:00.002-04:00

You have lunch with your 4th grade teacher you have not seen for 17(!!!) years! She had such an influence on me, I have always meant to get together with her. I e-mailed her from the school website, and, today was the big lunch date!

You are excited to go home to use the special handwash cycle on Mom's fancy washing machine. Cashmere sweater was just washed and other things are in line.

You are too tired to pull an all nighter to get papers/ projects done... which is what I have to do now to avoid the thought of an all nighter or sleeping through my last day of classes tomorrow!