A few weeks ago, Russell signed up for some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes. Since then I have come up with a few different names for it including, fight club, fighter club, ninja school, ninja class and a few others along the same variation, ninja school being my decided favorite. Our neighbor kid came over some time last week and I showed him Russell's "ninja suit" hanging up in the basement and I told him that Russell was going to be a ninja. Well, this weekend his mom called me and said that he came over and borrowed a few tennis balls. She said that when he got home he said, "Russell is a ninja and he didn't even catch me sneaking in to his garage". I thought it was pretty hilarious. 

We had a little bit of a plumbing issue this weekend. The dishwasher just finished the last rinse cycle when we noticed both sides of the kitchen sink totally full of water and not going anywhere. After a couple unsuccessful attempts at unclogging, Russell finally bought a drain snake, cut a chunk of this pipe out and totally fixed it. Plumber? Who needs a plumber? Have I mentioned how sweet it is to be married to a genius? And he made that gaging sound a couple times that makes me laugh really hard, and I think it was for real. (Actually, I know it was for real because he kept saying he doesn't know how our brother-in-law, Brian, does it.)

One of my teachers gave us a chance to volunteer for the Special Olympics winter games that were here in Boise. It was really a lot of fun. We measured weight, height and waist circumference, which sounds incredibly boring but I love talking to strangers so I had a pretty good time. The guy in the first picture is a snowboarder from Vermont. The guys hula hooping were from Jamaica and I think they played field hockey. The guy in the last picture was hilarious. He was from Jordan and I think he was just trying to take as many pictures with girls as he could.
And this guy won a gold medal but I can't remember what for or where he was from. It was kind of a long night...

I'm getting used to a much shorter ponytail. Russell thought it was hilarious that it sticks straight out like that. 

I bought a flat iron tonight. I'll consider taking a picture of it down when I figure out how to do it... 

I have another busy week ahead of me - another test - but I'm working for the Special Olympics for a class on Thursday and they told us to bring our cameras so I should have something good to share. 

I can't believe it's only Monday. 

I'm special to her but, as far as she's concerned, my name is teacher. We're going to have to work on that...

This is where I post a video in which I humiliate myself completely, and most definitely end any chance I had of being taken seriously as a politician (you never know), all in the name of proving just how much I love my Mom.

All this and I got a C?

You gotta be kidding me (say it like Nacho). Can I blame it on the new folding desk chair that slipped/folded out from underneath me whilst I was sitting in it, in turn landing my bottom smack on the floor? I didn't think so. (Nice try though, don't you think?)

School is so insanely busy that I am actually considering canceling Netflix. Netflix, people! This is serious.

The first day of the spring semester is tomorrow and just like the first week of every semester I am totally motivated and ready to go back. We've talked about how much I love school supplies before (I should link to a post from the past where I talk about how much I love school supplies but writing this is a lot faster than going back to try to find one - sorry - you'll just have to trust me, they exist) and the sucky thing about the spring semester is that its not back to school for all those little kids, the ones we bust out the totally awesome school supply store displays for. So instead of school supplies, I bought myself a celebratory pair of shoes and painted my fingernails a trendy Onyx Rush. Maybe spring semester isn't so sucky...

I read this and this today and was convinced that I should join facebook after what seems like a long time objecting. Now go and be my friend so I don't look like a loser with no friends. Thank you. 

We lucked out with a couple sunny days last week. I got down to it and I took down the Christmas tree and rearranged the furniture in my living room. I wasn't so sure about it at first but I am totally loving it now. My living room is tricky, two walls are practically all windows.

I also bought a new filing cabinet and labeled all my files. I actually said out loud I can't wait to pay bills. There is something wrong with me, isn't there? I totally meant it, too.


I wish someone had warned me that the last half of Tess was going to be a total downer! Good news though, it looks like we've got some good ones to look forward to on Masterpiece Classics from February through March.

(Otis likes that sunny spot in front of the window, too)

Last Sunday I started going to church at 9 am. It was hard enough for me to make it on time at 11 BUT 9 o'clock church makes for the best naps. So good. Usually when I take naps on Sunday I sleep a little bit too long and then I stay up late. I was in luck last week because Masterpiece Theater was on and it was so good. Tess of d'Urbervilles. Luckily (for you guys) you can watch the first half online and you can watch the second half along with me this Sunday. 

There is a suggestion on the website for starting up a Masterpiece film and book club and since my book club is making me read The Wednesday Letters (I haven't started it yet so I guess I shouldn't complain) I was thinking about ditching them... 

I've noticed something about myself. In the winter, in Boise, I am so lazy. But I maintain that is is totally and completely not my fault. It has been very dreary around here lately. Not too cold, but still cloudy and gray. Today it's a totally different story! It is sunny and I am right at my favorite place, in my bed with the window shade open basking in the glorious, glorious sun. All of a sudden, I feel the urge to start getting things done. I still have two weeks before school starts but I want to rearrange my furniture, organize the bookshelves, clean out my closet, and refold all my clothes and I want to do it now. But it's Sunday and being the day of rest and whatnot, all I can do is hope for another gloriously sunny day tomorrow. Cross your fingers for me, will you? 

We had a snowy weekend around here. I was on the schedule to work at the hospital Thursday, Friday and Saturday but the floor that I work on ended up closing over the holiday break (I guess there aren't a lot of people, doctors or patients, that schedule surgeries the week of Christmas). They needed help on the 4th floor, Oncology, on Saturday. It wasn't too bad. To tell you the truth, I already feel like I've had to many days with nothing to do...

I got a new camera today. Dang those internet rumors about the killer sales at Circut City.
Just checking out all the new settings and everything. Isn't my dog pathetic?
I hope everyone had a happy Christmas, I know we did.

SNOW!

I made a special trip to Target for this movie today. Initially I made a video of myself singing the song along with some really awesome accompanying hand gestures but trust me when I say you will enjoy this much more. Or maybe this video is just slightly less embarrassing. Also, did you know that you can watch every song from White Christmas on youtube - I totally could have saved my $15!

This is Christmas to me. We've been watching a lot of movies on the floor in front of the tv lately. I have finals this week and I am not stressed out at all. I love the end of the semester when things start winding down and deadlines come and go. Right now I'm sitting in the kitchen; it's clean. I'm looking out the window at the Christmas lights on my house. I'm about to go over some notes and then I'll climb into my bed. It's freshly made with my clean flannel Christmas sheets. I sound pretty calm for someone that hasn't done any Christmas shopping, don't I. I love the end of the semester.

I went to Cost Plus today for my wrapping paper. I like the paper there. I like the paper at Pier One better but Russell was with me and when shopping with Russell it's best to get things done in as few stops as possible. Just trust me on this one. Plus I decided today that if there was only one store that I could shop at for the rest of my life, Cost Plus would be it. Yes, I love it that much.

So anyway, I have these hanging basket hooks in my second bedroom. Inside. Weird, right? I've been trying to think of something cool to do with them (because I'm afraid that if I attempt to pull them out the ceiling will cave in) and I totally found the answer at my most favorite store today. How cool are these lanterns? Someday. They will be mine. Oh yes, they will be mine.

I have nothing to say.

I've been on a mission, for some time now, to find a way to produce the perfect sugar crusted blueberry muffin top. Today I think I took a major step in the right direction. I bought a little scoop of turbinado sugar from the excellent bulk section at my grocery store. It's still not perfect but it's getting really close. I think I'm going to start mixing sugars now. Everyone puts butter on their blueberry muffins right?

I tried to make this cake from Bon Appetit as a thank you for my neighbor who kept an eye on Otis while we were out of town and it went terribly, horribly wrong. So bad. The white chocolate cream layer refused to whip up and eventually I opted to leave it out. When I started assembling the cake, without the extra layer, it was sliding all over the place. It was a total disaster. My kitchen wasn't that big of a mess when I made Thanksgiving dinner. Yikes.

I made my Mom's family clam chowder recipe this week but that deserves its own post - mostly because I have pictures.

This is what happens to me during holiday times. Just today I was hoping that I won't have to work on Saturday so I can make those caramels I made a couple years ago. Hoping that I won't have to work/thinking of ways to get out of it - same thing, right?

I thought of my Dad today when, on my way out the door, I grabbed a Coke Zero from the fridge and put it in my coat pocket.