Meet Shepherd

Meet my new baby nephew, Samuel Shepherd! Most people who read this have already met him or seen pictures, but I had to post a few of my own.

Here he is less than an hour old:

Mine and Shepherd's first meeting:

The classic looking-at-baby-shot (this was actually candid, though, let it be said):

The door sign:

And the proud big sister, who will have baby Shep marching to her beat in record time I'm sure:

She wanted to take a picture of me with my camera, so I told her she had to let me take a picture of her in all her beaded glory first - so this is her "I'm being bribed" smile. It might be my favorite.

Big sister on her tippy toes peering at "Bosh" through the nursery window:

Can someone tell me now how it is possible that Sammer is a father of TWO?? WHAT??!!

I sure do love aunthood.

Congrats, Sam & Katherine!! And Nita!!

Oh weekend, it's so good to see you again.

I'm craving quiet as though I'd just left a Nickelback concert.

This week falls under THAT kind of "irritating" category, only throw in some parent conferences that were comparable to bathing in a tub of warm mayonnaise. I know I overuse that comparison, but it's the (to me) most uncomfortable and gross thing I can think of most days.

I hope some of that made sense.

I left work today with four things on my mind:

1. Procuring more of my life-saving allergy medication since all day I've felt the ramifications of not getting more before I ran out.

2. Pepperoni pizza with fresh mozzerella and a glass of red wine

3. Season 1, disc 2 of Mad Men

4. Paper dolls

Re: #4, allow me to introduce you to the kindred spirit I never knew - Emily Martin of Inside a Black Apple. I regularly stalk her blog and when her book of paper doll projects came out I felt like I had struck solid gold. I have already given a couple of them as gifts- I just can't spread the joy enough.

In the not too far away future I'll make my own paper doll stop motion film (glory!!), but until then, PLEASE check these out:



Do you remember that song? Moment of happy silence, please.



These were made with her book of paper dolls!!! Everything about this has stolen my heart straight from my chest. The magician and the conjoined twins!!

Also her series of paintings, Oddfellow's Orphanage, and the whimsical stories that go along with them are noteworthy wells of enchantment.

Here are some of my favorites:

Ollie Onionhead

The Golden Rule Society Member

And my favorite orphan, AvaWhy is she my favorite, you ask, when there is an onion named Ollie in the group?

Well, read for yourself.

"Ava was sent to Oddfellow's after her parents, also albino, were fatally overrun by bandits while traveling with the unscrupulous Captain Marvelous' Sideshow. Ava escaped by pretending to be a pile of laundry, and, as she is very quiet, was quite convincing. The Headmaster himself accompanied the police to the scene, and found Ava folded up in an enormous quilt and whispering to the finches, whose cage had toppled over in the scuffle. In 1902, she was the first student to recieve the Ornithology badge, and with curiously little effort on her part. It seemed the badge-bestowing committee couldn't help but notice that birds, wild and otherwise, were always landing on her shoulders."

I dare anybody to tell me that Emily Martin and I aren't soul sisters.

And soon to come: A post about my new baby nephew, Samuel Shepherd, born Tuesday afternoon! Stay tuned!

Happy weekend to you all!

the ads of facebook & typewriter love

I love facebook ads. They know me so well. The one on there today says, "Enjoy Valentine's Day with your cat" and advertises cat playgrounds.

Seriously? Thanks, FB.

I also love the "Become a teacher in only one year!" Only I wish I could edit it to say, "Become a teacher in only one year and get eaten for dinner by a gaggle of adolescents!"

I missed my calling when I decided not to go the advertising route. For sure.

On a different note, I am deeply coveting this typewriter from Etsy, featured in today's Etsy finds email. Seriously - this is absolutely golden and the instrument on which I would pen many letters and maybe a book (MERE!!).

I am in love.

Is your head more than 64cm in circumference? Read on.

Wow:

Need Help in the Past (Brandon, MS)

I have a functioning time machine (I know it sounds unbelievable, but I assure you it works) that I need a 2nd person to operate with me. I'm looking for someone who is adventurous and reliable. Preferable a male; or a female that can do heavy lifting.

I am leaving on February 21st, 2011, in the morning and plan to return February 22nd, 2011. I am going to November 1933 to handle some business. If you are serious about time travel and are reliable, then please contact me.

You do not have to pay anything, but you would have to provide someone to watch my cat for the time we are gone. The only qualifications needed are that you are reliable and that the circumferance of your head is no more than 64cm.

We will be leaving from Brandon, MS. Let me know if you want to go with me.

I really, really hope that this guy catches wind of this.

bits of my weekend and a thought or two

1. I made Darby's homemade peppermint patties this afternoon. As someone who's had a love affair with Junior Mints since the mid-80's, I of course felt like I was embarking on the armageddon of all recipes.



At first, I thought I'd make them tiny like our favorite creamy mints in pure chocolate and then I would be able to come here and tell you that I MADE JUNIOR MINTS!!!!!

But that would have been more time consuming than I could afford, and really - if I learned how to make a near-actual Junior Mint in my own kitchen, what else would I have to strive for? I'm pretty sure that would mean I would have peaked at 29.

So it was much better for my psyche and my waistline (I think) to just make the patties. They turned out great and they are decadent.

Also, am I the only one who thinks its funny yet appropriate that Junior Mints is on Wikipedia?

2. Who does Justin Beiber think he is?

3. Along the same vein, Katy Perry is taking over the airwaves station by station, and I believe it is directly affecting the quality of life wherever a radio is turned on.

4. I love this side pony via Cup of Jo (also msk(s) gave it a shoutout).

I tried it, following the instructions exactly, and loved it. For the first 30 minutes after I fixed it. After that, though, I looked like I had been run over by two trains traveling in opposite directions.

This was likely because you're supposed to do this with second-day hair, and well, it's been more than two days since I've washed mine. You don't need to know how many, either.

I do look forward to giving this another try though. I have high hopes.

5. How much would I love to add this to my little library? Even if it is only the cover of the book?! Beautiful.

6. New favorite album: The Spares - Everything is Easy

Love, love, love, love, loooooooove this.

My very favorite of their albums is Glory and Grace, a collection of original worship songs that draws from two passages of scripture: Matthew 11:28-30 and Isaiah 6:5-7. The album follows a liturgical order and it is exceedingly beautiful.

7. Watched Toy Story 3 tonight. I might have shed a tear or three.

8. A friend from church, Cory, has a sweet Etsy shop filled with happy letterpress. Calendartines: A Valentine for every month of the year!

9. You know, I think I might be willing to sign up for a day of school in June for another snow day THIS MONTH. I need it badly.

I have decided that seventh grade is not a grade level, and it is not an age. Indeed, seventh grade is a disease. I have now taught each of the middle school grades and sixth and eighth are peculiar purgatories, but seventh is the only one I will say is a disease.

If I had to compare it to a more well-known disease it would be one of the nervous system like tourettes, or maybe rabies.

Among my favorite nicknames I have issued this year: Mexican Jumping Bean, Church-Mouse, Nightstalker, and Redial.

10. I've narrowed my costume for the 2nd Annual Oscar Night at the Fox Den to three:

Mattie from True Grit

(I could do the hair well, I think, and I love her clothes. No really, I do.)

Woody from Toy Story 3
I would even write "Andy" on the bottom of my boot (anybody have a cowboy hat and beltbuckle I could borrow? Vic Horn, can you help a sister out?)

Inception
I would wear pj's, fuzzy slippers, a sleep mask, and spectacular bed-head hair.

I ruled out Mark Zuckerberg because, well, I don't want to get a haircut to play the part. And the Queen of England is out because she made a screen appearance once. That is not even a character.

And I have no desire to be the Duchess of York.

Obviously, my allegiance lies with Alice in Wonderland (which I'm re-reading right now - joy by the page!) but this endeavor would be far too costly - timewise and moneywise - to pull off well. And I just can't disgrace Tim Burton or especially Lewis Carroll with a sub-par costume job. You understand.

What's your vote? It might be hard to top last year's Avatar.

This is likely way more than you cared to read regarding my weekend and thoughts that are certainly neither here nor there. If you're still reading, thanks for staying.

Hope everyone has a lovely week and a happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!

garmin, you have failed me

Happy Monday!

Today was a pretty good Monday. I won a door prize at faculty meeting, and I'm usually not a winner. So that was cool.

I have a great story for you that I meant to write about a few weeks ago. I think most people who read this are folks who've known me for years, so this won't be a surprise to you.

It's just another testament to my phenominal, second-to-none inner compass.

A couple of weeks ago a pretty well-known young adult author visited our school. She's the author of many of my kids' favorite books - she is very, very good - here's the promo for her latest book:



An eighth grade boy won a national essay contest that she sponsored last summer, and first prize was a free author visit.

By default, I became the person in charge of this author visit. Hosting an author was far more work and prep than I originally expected, but it turned out really well and I learned so much in the process.

The first night she was here, a couple of teacher friends and I were taking her out for a good salad and glass of wine. We decided on the Tavern at the Summit and I went to pick her up at the hotel. My friends were meeting us there, but we'd get there a few minutes ahead of them.

First, when we get there, the Tavern is "COMPLETELY not where it was the last time I was here!!" So I made another lap around Saks and circled back around. Still no Tavern. I rolled down my window in the pouring rain and asked a traffic guy where the Tavern was. He pointed to the restaurant directly to my right. I sheepishly rolled the window back up and glanced over at my author guest.

our guest of honor, our winner, and me

"You know, it really wasn't there just two months ago. And by that I mean I do not know my left from my right. I'm sorry."

So we got out, got our umbrellas, and headed into the Tavern, talking ninety to nothing. We got in and were seated in a booth. As we ordered wine, I mentioned that the restaurant was much darker than I remembered. Different lighting. Slightly different atmosphere. Way more crowded.

The waiter brought us our glasses of wine, and the author excused herself to use the restroom. My phone rang, and it was my friend Nisha. I told her we'd gotten a great booth and already ordered wine. We had their seats waiting for them.

As I hung up the phone, I glanced down at the menu in front of me.

And then I gasped in horror.

We were in Fleming's, one of (I think) the most expensive steak houses in the greater Birmingham area. It sits right next to the Tavern. I had totally not paid attention when we walked in.

I cursed.

As soon as the author came back from the restroom, I confessed.

"You are not going to believe this but we are in the wrong restaurant and I cannot hang with Fleming's. We have to go next door (where my friends had been waiting for at least five minutes by now).

I totally should have just told the waiter that our friends had decided to meet up somewhere else and we needed to pay for our wine and leave, but no. I told him that I thought we were in the Tavern but alas, we were in Fleming's, and I just could not hang.

So we paid for the wine and left - the author in a state of bewilderment and "who IS this person they have hosting me??!!" and me, well, sheepishly.

My friends have not, and will not, let me forget this. Ever. And rightfully so.

Anyway, I got the best thank you card I've ever received today from her in the mail. Part of it said,

"You are so like me - ending up in interesting places. Turning corners that lead to adventure. Keep being you. We add flavor & joy to the planet. Your love for people, and your students, is a big bright light, and I felt warm & safe in its glow."

Besides the fact that she's just a great writer, I loved this letter because it made me feel like there is some sense to my chaos, some direction to my "where the hell am I??!!" And it's ok if I don't see it sometimes.

Because really, let's be honest, most of the time I don't.


Hope everyone had a great weekend- anyone else supposed to get snow this week?

keys in hand.

I got my keys back today, in case you were wondering. I'll decline to share details lest I get fired though soon enough that may not even be necessary.

I mean, couldn't I just as easily see this kind of action in the local jail or hospital psych ward?

So after playing detective all day and taking TWO HOURS to get home (usually a ten minute drive) due to this sleet business, I am home and I am slowly regaining a measure of my sanity.

With two glasses of red wine and some really cute babushka paper doll projects.

My love for paper dolls, p.s., has been mightily rekindled.

More on that later, perhaps.

Stay safe out on those roads!