What's For Dinner?

Mystery Solved

I was talking with two high school girls yesterday about getting their driver's licenses. One girl told me she was going to take her test this summer, which prompted me to ask about Driver's Training. This is normal, right? Every teenager you know has taken this class unless they grew up in the sticks of Montana or some rural farm where they might have gotten a "farmer's permit" instead.

Oh no. There is no class in Tennessee. You can just take a test, get a permit for 6 months, and then get your license. Is it a driving test? Oh no, again. Simply a written exam.

Mystery Solved! Tennessee drivers are AWFUL because they were never taught how to drive!

To Clip, Or Not To Clip?

The current craze at our church is clipping coupons and crazy, organized, time-consuming grocery shopping. My first thought: I don't have time for that. My second thought: They are saving a lot of money...

So I bought a Sunday paper yesterday and clipped the coupons! I was amazed at the amount of good coupons, and that they last for so long! I did some afternoon shopping at Kroger yesterday with my coupons. I know I saved (because my receipt tells me saved), but I still think I would have spent less doing my regular shopping at Aldi, buying non-branded products.

The debate continues... to clip, or not to clip?

Life Lessons

Life Lessons from The Secret Life of Bees

1. Don't be afraid

2. Don't be an idiot

3. Don't swat. Don't even think about swatting

4. Send some love

Rules for working with bees, but very applicable to everyday life. Perhaps a new favorite movie.

Mailboxes

I introduced a new element today. We now have mailboxes in my classroom. It's really an over-the-door shoe organizer, but each student has a "box," if you will.

Here are the rules:

• You may "send" mail to anyone in the class
• If you are sending mail to another student it must be positive/nice
• You can send me anything you would like, but try not to use the word "hate"
• You may only "check your mail" at the end of class
• I will proof EVERYTHING!

So, without further ado... my notes from today!

Note 1: Dear Ms. Joy, You are the best teacher!

Note 2: Dear Miss Joy, You hurt my fillings (feelings)

Note 3: Ms. Joy, you are nice, but you be mad sometimes

Note 4: When you said don't talk about each other, another student said my mom is a whore and got doodi stains in her pants. So do something. Please do it.

Note 5: I don't like you, Ms. Joy (with a hand-drawn sad face... tears and all!)

My heart has been warmed.

My Precious Gems

Precious Gem #1: Sent home 20 minutes into class

Precious Gem #2 (girl in red): Also got sent home 20 minutes into class

Precious Gem #3: Suspended for tomorrow

Our Golden Boy

So I've been sick for a few weeks (head cold) which developed into what I thought was pink eye last week. I'm still not sure on the exactness, but I had a "pink" eye that was itchy and developed some "gunk" in the corner of my eye. Lucky for me, Eric had some eye drops so I began using them. It wasn't bad to begin with, and then got better over the next few days.

In the meantime I stopped taking the allergy medication that was recommended to me. I don't have allergies, but every doctor here says Middle Tennessee sits in a bowl that collects allergens and "everyone who lives here has allergies." I didn't believe them, so I stopped taking the meds. The "pink eye" came back. So I had a PA look at me on Sunday (friend from church) and said, as if there is no other explanation, "You have allergies, take the medication."

Last night I was in a particularly cuddly mood and my husband HATES to cuddle, so I begged and begged to have the cat sleep with us. I still can't believe he caved, but he did. In the first few minutes, Max got STRIKE 1 as he was pouncing on Eric's feet. Over the next few minutes Max got STRIKE 2 as he climbed across Eric's head. I was determined to make it through the night, so I grabbed Max under the covers and held him tight for about 30 minutes (hoping he would fall asleep). Somewhere around 1 am Eric locked Max out of our room. Somewhere around 8am I woke up with my eyes swollen shut. Hmmm...

So I've been doing some research and I truly think I might be allergic to my cat. It's heartbreaking really. But it makes sense. Kittens don't carry as many allergens, they develop as the cat grows... our little Max is just 5 months, and developing those darn allergens. They also say male cats carry more allergens than female cats. I'll be doing some more experimenting... giving Max a bath, doing some extra cleaning, and taking the darn eye drops to see how this develops in the coming weeks. And Eric will be THRILLED to hear that Max can't sleep with us anymore.