Amusing

I suppose I just need to accept the fact that I am a lazy blogger. I just lose focus. I have even thought of several blog posts recently- yet I have not written a single one. Recipes that I have already broken out that remind me of football season, my fall wreath, other random thoughts. Not a single one written.

You know what's really sad? The main reason I haven't written them is because it would require me to break out my nice camera and take a good picture- and well, who has time for that?

Anyway, instead I thought I would entertain you with why I love my job. Being in an elementary school all day is probably the most hilarious experience in my life. One, it's just visually funny watching little kids with giant book bags and their fingers up to the mouths (so they don't talk). Is that mean? It may be- but still quite funny. They literally look like at any moment they could explode just because of their need to talk.

Favorite moments to date:

I have the joy- sometimes joy, other times hate- of having an intercom in my office. So every morning I get to hear the morning/afternoon announcements. One day, the kids got "on the air" to run for student body president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. All of them got to answer the question- What is the main reason you should be elected? Best answer- BECAUSE I'M AWESOME! I mean the kid practically screamed it. Then, as usual, some little girl quite seriously explained, “because I do not run in the hall”. Clearly that is very important.

I have clients that are either: A- shy and afraid to talk much or B- loud and nutso (but in a good way). Today, I had a kid telling me that in China they make handcuffs that if you move or wiggle will get tighter and tighter until you start to bleed- then they release. While explaining this he used rubber bands on his hands and was bouncing around to demonstrate how one would try to get out of handcuffs. When I asked him how he knows this. "Because I went to visit my granddad in Kansas and his hands were bloody". Duh- gosh why am I so slow?

Or my absolute favorite client *sarcastic* who enjoys belittling me. To date I have been informed: I look like I have cancer, I look like I cry a lot, my laugh is weird and gets stuck in her head, I have corns on my feet, and she thinks I am married to a woman. Honestly, I have to force myself to laugh at this stuff or else I might start living up to the whole crying thing.

I really think I could just about update every day with amusing things my kids say. What do you think?


Oh and P.S. - It's almost Friday!!

Lemon Chewies

Does anyone else have a recipe from your family where no one knows what you are talking about when you say the name? I ask people all the time if they want me to make lemon chewies and they just stare at me.

I suppose a lemon chewie is like a lemon bar. My grandmother has made these my whole life and clearly- to me- they will always be called a lemon chewie.

We have dinner plans two nights this weekend at friend's homes so this is an easy recipe that you can whip together to feed a lot of people.

Lemon Chewies

"Crust"

1 box lemon cake mix
1/2 cup melted margarine
1 egg

Mix with spoon or fork. Pat mixture into greased 19x13 pan. Set aside.

"Topping"

8oz. pkg of cream cheese
1 box of confectioners sugar (this is how you know it's an old recipe- my guess is 1 lb.)
2 eggs
2 t. lemon flavoring

Cream the sugar and cheese, add eggs. Last add lemon flavoring. After putting this topping on the cake crust bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Will be crusty on top but still kinda gooey. Sift confectioners sugar on top while still warm. Let cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

Hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend!

Blowing Rock

I must say the one thing I will miss about my old position is having Fridays off. It made my schedule much more flexible.

My mom and dad visited me for quite some time in the month of August. I even had the time to take a long weekend in Blowing Rock. It's funny- now that I don't go to Appalachian State University anymore I love going up to Boone/Blowing Rock but when I lived there I wanted to get out so bad. I think it is just a better vacation spot than a "living there" spot.

It just so happened that the weekend we went was Art in the Park. Anyone that is from that area knows that Art in the Park a big deal- it was packed! Lots of vendors and people visiting the area. I bought some art from a guy who lives in Atlanta. His wife is an artist also and she makes custom dog portraits. Um- yeah- I really wanted one but I don't have $500 to drop on a painting of General and Leia.  

My mom and I drove around and looked at the homes. Which we proceed to do every time we visit the mountains. The following is a tour of homes that you should feel free to buy for me- just kidding!

Maybe one of these days- when I have that dream job with summers off- I will just live in one of these homes during the summer. Ha ha- never gonna happen on a social work salary!

Happy Friday,

Lazy 5 Ranch

This weekend hubby and I needed to get out of the house. Somehow, on Saturday night I proceeded to sleep like 13 hours. Now- I admit I am a sleeper. I normally sleep about 9 hours a night. But, let me sleep 13 hours and I am a full out zombie when I wake up. I was incredibly grumpy and would have happily laid on the couch in my pj's never moving on Sunday.

Hence, we needed to get out. I try not to let myself just wallow around when I feel like that. Since we love animals, but have visited every local zoo at this point we decided to head to Mooresville to go to the Lazy 5 Ranch.

The Lazy 5 Ranch has tons of animals on it's property- everything from pigs, to water buffalo, to Texas longhorns, to zebras. You have two choices- you can either stay in your car and drive through the three miles of roads feeding the animals out of your car, or you can go a hay ride and feed the animals from there.

We are lazy and choose the car route. It was a lot of fun. I must admit that some of the animals were rather pushy and if you didn't hold onto your bucket of feed tight they would literally grab it from you. The car in front of us had their bucket stolen within one second of entering the area.

They also have an area that has different kinds of animals as a petting zoo- you just walk around that place. They had a gift shop, and possibly some other areas to roam around. Honestly, we ran out of time to see this stuff because we were in a hurry to get back home to watch the preseason Panther game with my brother!

Plus, the price for both of us and the food for the animals was only $20. That is the kinda fun that is in my budget!

Here is some of my favorite pictures of the day.

He was my favorite!

Happy Thursday!!

First Week of School!

This week starts my first week at my new position in my agency. I am now a school based therapist- think outpatient therapy but my office is at the school.

I could not be any more excited about this switch in positions. First off, I have my own office and I feel much more in control of my environment- as opposed to my years of experience dealing with in-home work. I have spent way to much money trying to bulk up my supply of therapeutic tools for the kiddos.

See- I have room for more!

Every day, I get a little happier with the way my office is set up. Regrettably, I haven't been able to see any of my kids this week. I have a mound of paperwork and signatures I need before I can start pulling them from class.

Every poster has a picture a kid drew of each emotion!

Secondly, I am in an elementary school which is my favorite age group to work with. My school also seems very supportive of my program. Every teacher I have met so far has been very nice and welcoming. Even my principal is fun and engaging. I do need to make some friends soon- sitting in my office without someone to talk to will slowly drive me crazy!

The only way this job could be any better is if I got to work off the school calendar. Since I am not technically a school employee I still have to work summers and school breaks. I think it is my new life goal to figure out how to work a 10 month job.

Hope everyone with kiddos had a great first week of school!

New Office

On August 20th, my company is moving me into a new position. Instead of being an Intensive In Home therapist, I will now be a school therapist at an elementary school. I am beyond excited.

I won't have to drive around North Carolina anymore. I will have my own office- with a door and everything! It is really hard to feel like you are a good therapist in people's home. There are just too many distractions- TV, screaming siblings, no privacy, etc. I can't wait for my own space.

I have gone nuts buying stuff for my office to use with my kids. When I was in elementary school I had a speech impediment and I went to speech therapy for four years. I loved my speech therapist and I distinctly remember that at the end of our time I got to choose a gift from the treasure chest. I ALWAYS got stick-on earrings. Gotta love the early 90s.

Even though I am not a speech therapist I knew that I had to have a treasure chest of goodies for my office. I bought a wood box at Micheals and painted it and added glitter stickers on the front. You know you enjoyed gifts when you were that age! Bribery sounds nice and therapeutic to me. Ha

I also bought: crayons, markers, colored pencils, play dough, modeling clay, stickers, dry erase markers for the easel in my office, and an hourglass that will let them know our time together.

With my next paycheck I will buy my dollar store items for the treasure chest and I have a goal of buying two more therapeutic board games. Everyone has always recommended that I buy The Ungame and the Thinking, Feeling, Doing Game. So those are my next two big purchases.

You know you would love to come to my office and play with my toys!

Happy Monday!

Piano

I had to take a break after my 30 day Challenge! My brain just had nothing else to say.

I wanted to update you guys on the most recent crafts I have done around the house.

Last month, my husband fulfilled his dream of picking up my dad's childhood piano. My parents have been wanting to get rid of it for years but we just haven't had time to drive out to Texas to get it.

Slowly but surely, my home is turning into an instrument shop. We- and by we I mean my husband- own four guitars, a ukulele, a full drum set, harmonicas, an electric piano, and now our wall piano. My husband's mom also owns an organ that he is determined to get once we have more room. If we ever have a home with room for a man cave it will consist of musical instruments.

Honestly, the piano is in pretty good shape- but needs to be tuned badly! My only real complaint was that piano bench fabric. I am pretty sure that my dad got this piano in the late 60s- early 70s and the fabric is not only ugly but it was falling apart.

I went to my trusty pinterest and learned how to reupholster. Since I can't sew I just used a handy-dandy staple gun and it worked out just fine. I bought a yard of white fabric and a yard of pretty fabric. I wrapped the white fabric around first- just to make sure the hunter green wouldn't show through. Then I wrapped my pretty fabric. It was easy- anyone can do it!

If you want more detailed instructions I used this blog: In My Own Style. She has a lot more pictures to help you out.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday! This morning our toilet exploded sewage everywhere so we have had  a lovely morning. Waiting on a plumber now- nothing like poop water to ruin your weekend. Ha ha