Wednesday, April 30, 2008

TFT? Summer Plans...

  • With summer coming up I am getting more and more excited. I love being able to do what I want, when I want to. I love traveling, going to visit friends, sitting by the pool reading, walking in parks, going to the library, etc. I often still wish I was in St. Louis because I loved taking advantage of all of their free things to do...the zoo, Museums, Science Center, the Landing, Magic House, etc. Living here 2 hours away, yes I could still do all of those things, but now it has to be much more thought out and planned. When summer arrives, I often find myself trying to save more money and do things that I normally wouldn't do. I try to get more creative and play.

  • I want to hear from you....What your favorite things to do in summer?
  • What do you like to do? Is it by yourself, family, significant other?
  • Do you like to splurge on activities or crafts?
  • Do you like to keep it simple?
  • Do you go on vacation to the same place each year? A different place? No vacations?

  • I want to hear it....let's start getting ready for summer! woohoo!

I wish...

  • I wish that money grew on trees. This past week our water heater went out, Mike's car broke down and our lawnmower is still broke....Over $1,000 later, the new water heater is installed and working, the car is fixed with no real explanation on what went wrong and we are borrowing a lawn mower from a friend. I am hoping that this is the last of the problems for awhile. Good thing we have been using Dave Ramsey and had our emergency fund set up to pay for all of this.

  • I wish...the months didn't fly by so fast. Seriously, I can't believe May is tomorrow! That means we have a lot of family birthdays coming up, including my own! :) We have less than 25 days of school left and there is so much left to do. Wow! I better get a move on everything.

  • I wish we could have our lawn cut or house cleaned with a snap of the finger. Anyone else with me on this one? I feel like since our house is still on the market (we have others coming to look at it on Sun.) that our house has to be immaculate. For the most part is has been, but when you start to notice the little things and then wonder if buyers will notice it, you start to worry...I want to snap my finger and the grass be perfect or the dust gone, I would be so happy!

  • I wish I still wasn't spotting. Seriously what the heck?! Today is day 22 and that is not normal. I wish that it was a simple puzzle to solve as to why we aren't getting pregnant.

  • I wish we could finalize our summer plans. I want to have everyone done and on the calendar. I like to be organized with stuff and want to pick dates and where we are going to go. What are your summer plans?

  • What are your wishes?

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Meme

I got this from heather's blog. another nice, mindless meme.

  • Where...
  • is your cell phone? in my school bag, on the floor.

  • is your significant other? driving to go pick up Brooklyn style pizza from Dominos.

  • is your hair? on my head...and it's very staticky today.

  • is your mother? probably at work in STL or in her car on the way home.

  • is your father? probably at home in STL or working in the yard.

  • is one of your favorite things? this ice pack laying on my back and of course, my family

  • was your dream last night? hmmmmm. I think it was something about summer and not teaching.

  • can you get your favorite drink? TGI Friday's...the Raspberry Lemonade.

  • are you right now? on my couch in the living room.

  • is your ex? not sure....

  • is your fear? losing someone i love.

  • do you want to be in 6 years? with family and raising kiddos.

  • were you last night? at a school math meeting till 7 and then at my house looking for some papers for our realtor.

  • was the last place you drove? to pick up Mike across town because the Cavalier decided to break down today...argh!

  • did you grow up? Fenton, MO

  • was the last place you ate? Dominos.

  • is (are) your TV(s)? one tv in the bedroom, one in the living room and 1 downstairs

  • are your pets? Jack is laying on the kitchen floor snoring away...

  • is your computer? on my lap

  • is your mood? tired and a little cranky considering our lawn mower, water heater, and car all decided to stop working in the last couple of days...boo :(

  • is your oldest friend? hmmm. Oldest as in had the longest is my sister Kelli and my oldest as in age friend is someone who I teach with...she's in her 60's and is hilarious.

  • is your car? Focus is driving to Dominos with Mike driving and the Cavalier is at the shop figuring out what is wrong with it....

  • is your wedding ring? on my left ring finger.

  • is your favorite store? that's a tough one....Target is by the mall across town

  • is your favorite place to be in the summer? anywhere but school

  • was the last place you laughed? right here at home with Mike trying to make me laugh and he does a good job with that!

  • was the last place you cried? at the movie watching Baby Mama....a great movie that made me happy and sad....

  • are five places you go on the internet on a regular basis? -google reader, yahoo, cnn, webmail for my school mail, and people.com

Monday, April 28, 2008

Send good vibes

Got a call today about someone from out of town wanting to look at our house. Thank goodness Mike was there and got the house all ready, took Jack to the dog park and they came by and LOVED IT! They are in a hurry to move and might want to move in before our mid-June date. Keep saying those prayers so they'll send an offer and buy it!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Finally....

I feel like today was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I finally relaxed and did nothing all day long. It was amazing! We slept in till 10:30 (that never happens!) and I even took a 2 hour nap this afternoon. I feel so refreshed (except for this headache I can't get rid of) and I am so thankful that we had nothing to do today. Mike and I went to see Baby's Mama and it was hilarious. :) I can't believe that MAY is going to be here on Thursday....seriously, where did April go?! We have a busy busy month with 5 family members having a birthday (including me!) and we are going to be going to St. Louis and Indianapolis in the next 2 weekends too. So I am glad that I had today to relax! I hope your weekend was relaxing as well....

Saturday, April 26, 2008

1895

I thought this was very interesting...How many can you get?

1895 Graduation Test--
Imagine this...
  • What it took to get an 8th grade education in 1895...
Remember when grandparents and great-grandparents stated that they only had an 8th grade education? Well, check this out. Could any of us have passed the 8th grade in 1895?This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina , Kansas , USA . It was taken from the original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina , and reprinted by the Salina Journal. 8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, KS - 1895
  • Grammar (Time, one hour)
  1. Give nine rules for the use of capital letters.
  2. Name the parts of speech and define those that have no modifications.
  3. Define verse, stanza and paragraph
  4. What are the principal parts of a verb? Give principal parts of 'lie,''play,' and 'run.'
  5. Define case; illustrate each case.
  6. What is punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of punctuation.
  7. (through #10) Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.

  • Arithmetic (Time,1 hour 15 minutes)
  1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.
  2. A wagon box is 2 ft. Deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. Wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?
  3. If a load of wheat weighs 3,942 lbs., what is it worth at 50cts/bushel, deducting 1,050 lbs. For tare?
  4. District No 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?
  5. Find the cost of 6,720 lbs. Coal at $6.00 per ton.
  6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.
  7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. Long at $20 per metre?
  8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.
  9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance of which is 640 rods?
  10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt

  • U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes)
  1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided
  2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus
  3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
  4. Show the territorial growth of the United States
  5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas
  6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.
  7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton , Bell , Lincoln , Penn, and Howe?
  8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, 1865.

  • Orthography (Time, one hour)[Do we even know what this is??]
  1. What is meant by the following: alphabet, phonetic, orthography, etymology, syllabication?
  2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?
  3. What are the following, and give examples of each: trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals
  4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u.' (HUH?)
  5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e.' Name 2 exceptions under each rule.
  6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.
  7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: bi, dis-mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, sup.
  8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last.
  9. Use the following correctly in sentences: cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane , vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.
  10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by syllabication.

  • Geography (Time, one hour)
  1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?
  2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas ?
  3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?
  4. Describe the mountains of North America
  5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia , Odessa , Denver , Manitoba , Hecla , Yukon , St. Helena, Juan Fernandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco.
  6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.
  7. Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each.
  8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?
  9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.
  10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give the inclination of the earth.

Notice that the exam took FIVE HOURS to complete.Gives the saying 'he only had an 8th grade education' a whole new meaning, doesn't it?!And, NO! I don't have the answers.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Wig or no wig?

Which do you like better? With the wig or without?

50's Sock Hop Night

Tonight was perfect! We had so much fun at the 5th grade sock hop. I had a blast watching my students interact, play games, have fun, and dance. They loved it...their parents loved it, and I loved it. They were TOO cute! My favorite quote of the night was "Mrs. Laughlin, you look like a little girl!" It was hilarious! :) The party was from 6:30-8:30 and was broken up into 30 minute increments so kids weren't all over the place. The first 30 minutes, the kids got to pick where they wanted to go. They had the soda shop, Elvis hand jive and "Elvis says", they also got 2 tickets to get their pictures taken in the photography "room". They had a ring toss and also bowling with empty soda bottles. The 2nd half hour they did the twist, hand jive, and the limbo. There was also a raffle, which the kids earned tickets the last month for turning their homework in and their behavior. They loved that their teachers also came out onto the dance floor to dance too. We switched up again and did the same games/soda shop/pictures and then ended the party with a hula hoop contest, class pictures and the electric slide and cha cha slide. It was such a great night and I loved knowing that we were creating memories for them for the rest of their lives. It was simply amazing...below are some of the 115 pictures I took tonight! Happy weekend...finally, it's here! :)

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Last night....

Once a month a bunch of girls get together to play Bunco. Have you heard of it? I had never heard of this dice game until about a year ago. We play once a month and our group of girls have been getting bigger and bigger. Last night there were almost 20 gals there. We each bring a dish to eat and we pitch in $5. Last night the pot was over $100 and there are different ways to win money. Last night I almost won $25 dollars. :) I had the last bunco (3 sixes on each of the die) so that got me $5. Then, there was a 4 way tie for even-steven (I had 9 wins and 9 losses) so since there were 3 others we had a roll-off. I rolled a 5 and my friend Lisa rolled a 6, so she won! It is a great time to be able to get together and hang out, meet some new people and catch up with old ones. :) What do you do to keep in touch with friends and get together? Do you see me in my new glasses? What do ya think?!

I feel like....

Some days I feel as though I can never get caught up and I'm drowning....today is kindof one of those days. Yesterday was definitely one of those days. I seriously just need to take a break and I'm hoping this will be one of those weekends to take a step back, relax, and not have to stress. Yesterday I had many things going on during the school day including 2 doctor appts. and issues with students and parents. I don't know what I would do without my student teacher at this point. I would seriously be even more stressed. I went back to the doctor yesterday and apparently I still have a cyst and I am still spotting so it will probably be too late this month to do the artificial insemination. :( I have NO idea why I am still spotting since I have never spotted. I went to the chiropractor and that is getting a little better, but I'm still having issues with the back and lower legs. I feel as though I have too much on my plate but can't take anything away....We have a big 5th grade sock hop party tomorrow night and I can't wait. It is going to be fun and exciting. I can't wait to post pics. Reasons that I am thankful today is that I get to spend time with Jack and my hubby, the weather is amazing and Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, and Lost are all on tonight. I am hoping that things start to settle down...soon! Happy Thursday!

37

So...I only made it 37 days being injury free and had to take down the counter... :( I had a HUGE muscle spasm in 3 parts of my lower leg and it was awful. My leg is still bruised and sore. Hopefully I can start getting better soon!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Maniac Monday

  • It seems all I've had lately are crazy busy days....does everyone have these since spring is here? Hopefully I'll be able to relax soon! :)
  • Tutoring this morning (tomorrow is our last one...I'm tired of waking up at 5:15 to get ready for school)
  • A meeting about our sped. teacher and one of our kiddos
  • putting math test scores in the computer
  • a headache about a leadership conference that some of my kids will get to go to in the fall and others in my class hearing about it and getting hurt feelings.
  • fertility doctor appt. For some reason, I am still spotting and I never spot. I've been to the doctor Friday and Monday and he said it is a cyst that is a little bit larger and it is producing hormones where my body still thinks I'm on my period. But....I've NEVER had this...never spotted, never had a cyst, etc. So, now I'm not sure what's going on. The bad news is that he says since this is happening, I probably won't ovulate this month...which again, has also never happened. And that means, no artif. insem. this month.....bummer.
  • a fellow teacher was gone today and her sub was one of my kiddos' mom. Some of those kids were not so nice to her today so I tried to help. Complete disrespect, attitudes, fights, cursing in class, etc. She even had to go meet with the principal and and one of the student's dads because he was suspended for tomorrow for fighting...so she might not sub again in that class. :(
  • Basketball practice after school.....
  • Chiropractor after that....

  • Some of the highlights were reading a new poetry book to my class, eating a great dinner with Mike, playing catch with Jack, and also playing scrabble (which I won!) against Mike.
  • I hope your Monday went well! :)

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Congrats Mandy and Dustin

Today, we went to one of Mike's coworkers baby shower. You can check out their blog here. Besides going to that today, I had to get the house ready for an open house....that no one came too! :( I spent most of the morning, cleaning windows, sweeping floors, mopping, dusting, etc. and no one came. Hopefully we can find the perfect people who want to buy our house. The baby shower today was very relaxed and low key and it was perfect. The weather cooperated and we had a wonderful bar-be-que and talked and hung out. We played some great games....one was trying to guess the chocolate bar that was melted in the "dirty" diaper. It was hilarious watching others (including myself) sniff this dirty diaper to see which candy bar it was! We also had to fill in the blanks of the nursery rhymes...and it was pretty funny watching all these cops try to fill in the blanks! :) The gifts that Mandy and Dustin opened too were very cute! All police and Cardinals stuff....awesome! :) Here are just a few pictures from today....

Whirlwind

I can't believe tomorrow is the start of a new week....this last one just flew by. It was fun to watch my friend's kiddos this past week. We were very busy running around, making lunches and dinners, completing homework (theirs and mine), laughing, watching movies, etc. It was on the go and non-stop playing "mommy" this week....We played around on the computers, went to get pizza one night, scrapbooked and were just plain goofy. We watched The Gameplan, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, and Surf's Up...We also surprised their mom and dad by having each girl make their own scrapbook of the cruise they took over spring break. They LOVED this! I was glad that I could finish making a scrapbook for my aunt that night too! Back to the real world this week....and by the way, I'm lovin' this wonderful weather! finally....

Saturday, April 19, 2008

I'll try...

I'll try to come back tomorrow to let you know what I've been up to these last few days with a 6th and 8th grader....whew! I'm tired! I've posted over at our photo-a-day blog....click on the right hand side on the photo a day link. Have a great night!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Hmmm...

You might ask what I've been up to. I haven't really posted anything substantial in awhile. A couple of things we've been up to....
  • Getting the house ready for the Parade of Homes that is in Columbia. Mike and I have been working hard on getting our house "show" ready. We also have an open house this Sunday. We have weeded, got the grass cut, put more mulch and rock out front. We've picked up sticks, cleaned, organized, and I even baked cookies today. They were the ones already made that you just had to pop in the oven, but that counts right?! :)

  • I have been giving LOTS of make up tests for the Missouri Assessment Test for the students that have been absent. Since I have a student teacher, I thought that would be helpful to get it done quicker with all the students we had who were absent during the "real" test last week.

  • I think I'm sick....maybe it's just allergies because SPRING is finally here! Woopee!!! but I know it needs to go away quickly because my eyes are so swollen.

  • Also dealing with some school safety issues that we had yesterday...Click this link. Very scary!

  • My friend who teaches with me went out of town....actually out of the country to Cancun with her husband....I'm jealous! But I have been watching her two kiddos while they are gone. They are in 6th grade and 8th grade. This morning it was fun getting up and helping them pick out clothes to wear and get their lunches ready. I dropped them off at school this morning and I really felt like a mom! :) I am staying at their house and watching them until Sunday. I have to do all the running around, picking them up from play practice or school, so it is kind of neat for me to see what I'm in for....

  • I am definitely enjoying the 80* weather we had today....simply amazing!!! I hope your middle of the week is going well too!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

wow!

I am in AWE of all of the people from the Biggest Loser! Wow!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

finish the sentence...

Finish the sentence:

  1. Maybe I should start putting away the spring/Easter decorations and put back out the winter ones...it's freezing here today!
  2. I love the smell of vanilla candles.
  3. People would say that I’m creative and outgoing .
  4. I don’t understand the choices some make.
  5. When I wake up in the morning my first thought is "Can I stay in bed just a little bit longer?"
  6. I lost a new necklace and have no idea where I put it.
  7. Life is full of little surprises and unexpected twists and turns.
  8. My past is my past, but it's made me the person I am today...
  9. I get annoyed when my back hurts and there's nothing I can do about it...
  10. Parties are fun with the right people there.
  11. I wish someone would buy our house so I wouldn't have to stress about it.
  12. Dogs are the best.
  13. Cats are boring and they make me sneeze.
  14. Tomorrow is the start of a new week and my friend Annie's birthday.
  15. I have low tolerance for ignorance or mean people.
  16. I’m totally terrified of the dark, lightning, thunder, and bugs.
  17. I wonder why teachers don't make more money....
  18. Never in my life have I been arrested and I don't plan on it anytime in the future either!
  19. High school was good with my friends and all the sports I was involved with, but college was better!
  20. When I’m nervous, I crack my knuckles or get quiet and shy...
  21. One time at a family gathering I just enjoyed sitting back and taking pictures of the 8o family members there...
  22. Take my advice: reading the book is ALWAYS better than the movies!
  23. Making my bed makes me feel accomplished.
  24. I’m almost always early... being on time makes me feel like I'm late.
  25. I’m addicted to any show that has a "Jack" in it...Lost, 24, 30-Rock...
  26. I want someone to finish the sentence on their blog and let me know about it so I can read theirs....Who's in?!

Motivational Posters

Wow! Here are some new motivational posters....enjoy!

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Relaxation

I am so thankful that today is the weekend! Even though it's cold, rainy, and there were even some snow flurries this morning, I need a break. The only thing I really have to do today is go coach my 4th and 5th graders in their basketball game this afternoon at 1. Currently I am sitting on the couch, listening to pandora (thanks Heather!), and thinking about going to mop the kitchen floor. Since the weather is so nasty, Jack just makes a mess every time he goes out. He seriously had muddy, wet paws dripping over most of the floor this morning. Why you ask? Because he saw a CAT. He is obsessed with cats. He dislikes them. He will run and chase and try to jump to get over the fence to get them. This one orange tabby cat was just sitting behind the fence this morning, taunting him. The cat was sitting very still, just like a statue, and knew that he wasn't stuck behind a fence. Jack was hilarious. He barks, he jumps, he runs around like a crazy dog; therefore that explains the muddy, wet, dripping paw prints all over the kitchen. What are your plans this weekend????? If you have a dog, do they feel the same way about cats? :)

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Other thinkers this week

**Edited...More thinkers out there!

  • Katie on pregnancy, birth, and the aftermath
  • Robyn on family dinners
  • Any other thinkers out there I missed??????

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

TFT?

Wow! I haven't posted a thought for Thursday in a long time.
  • Since I have changed over to Google Reader I was curious about "googling myself" to see what type of information came up. I first typed in Kasey Laughlin to see what came up and a comment I left on Katie Mohr's blog came up. I scrolled down a little further and notice our blog....good! It was very nice that they noticed. :) There was also some information about an Envirofacts Warehouse, another boy athlete that has the same name, and a bunch of other stuff that wasn't about "me." So, then I decided to google my maiden name (Merritt) to see what came up and my facebook information , JB Marine, my soccer team that I was on growing up, and Florida International Univ. soccer stats came up. It's pretty interesting and funny at the same time to see what information comes up about you!
  • So my thought for Thursday is this....Have you ever googled yourself? If so, please comment and tell me 3 things that were on there. If not, try it now. Go google yourself and come back and tell me what came up!
  • Have you ever googled someone else? A friend, sibling, ex, family member, a neighbor? Come up...you know you want to share!!!!!!!!

Monday, April 7, 2008

Body Theft Problem

  • This is a real concern. The only part that wasn't mentioned that I have also experienced is the stomach!

  • You've heard about people who have been abducted and had their kidneys removed by black-market organ thieves. My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years ago. I went to sleep and woke up with someone else's thighs. It was just that quick. The replacements had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Whose thighs were these and what happened to mine? I spent the entire summer looking for my thighs.

  • Finally, hurt and angry, I resigned myself to living out my life in jeans. And then the thieves struck again. My butt was next. I knew it was the same gang, because they took pains to match my new rear-end to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier. But my new butt was attached at least three inches lower than my original! I realized I'd have to give up my jeans in favor of long skirts.

  • Two years ago I realized my arms had been switched. One morning I was fixing my hair and was horrified to see the flesh of my upper arm swing to and fro with the motion of the hairbrush. This was really getting scary - my body was being replaced one section at a time. What could they do to me next?

  • When my poor neck suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a turkey neck, I decided to tell my story. Women of the world, wake up and smell the coffee! Those 'plastic' surgeons are using REAL replacement body parts -stolen from you and me! The next time someone you know has something 'lifted', look again - was it lifted from you? THIS IS NOT A HOAX. This is happening to women everywhere every night. WARN YOUR FRIENDS!

  • P.S. Last year I thought some one had stolen my Boobs. I was lying in bed and they were gone! But when I jumped out of bed, I was relieved to see that they had just been hiding in my armpits as I slept. Now I keep them hidden in my waistband.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Spring...finally!

What gorgeous weather we had this past weekend. Spring is finally here! Mike had to work all weekend, but I went to St. Louis to hang out with my family, the Morrisons, and the Malones. Sat. night I stayed with Ryan and Heather and had a bbq while my mom watched Jack for me. Thanks Mom! Ryan bbq'd steaks and we ended up played a few rounds of Nertz...which I lost every game! Sunday, Yuri was dedicated at their church and Mike and Erin had friends and family over afterward to BBQ and celebrate. It was great to catch up with their family and our friends. Ryan and Heather, thanks for letting me spend the night. Mom, thanks for watching Jack and Mike and Erin, I am glad I was there to support you guys! Here are a few pics from the weekend....hopefully spring is here to stay!

Saturday, April 5, 2008

I jumped on a ninja because I'm cool like that!

If you are confused click on the link at the bottom! I promise you'll love it!

1-0

Just so you know I am 1-0 as a basketball coach to 4th and 5th graders at my school. We had our 1st game this morning and they were hilarious! Half have played before and the other half have not. They all wanted to help each other and have fun! It was pretty cute to watch them figure out what to do. At the end of the first quarter the score was 2-2....pretty close game wouldn't ya say?! We ended up winning 11-2 and they were so proud of themselves. Next week, we'll have to keep up the streak!

Grown up???

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Name Game

  • The Name Game

  • 1. Your rock star name (first pet, current car): Nuggett Focus (Hmmm..not sure about this one! ha!)

  • 2. Your gangsta name (fave ice cream flavour, favorite type of shoe): Mint Chocolate Chip Sneakers (I wonder if this is how Vanilla Ice came up with his name minus the shoe)

  • 3. Your Native American name (favorite color, favorite animal): Blue Leopard (But, I think their names usually have a verb or adjective in there, so I would be Laughing Blue Leopard, or Running Blue Leopard)

  • 4. Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born): Michelle St. Louis, (that doesn't sound dramatic enough for a soap opera star....fake yes, dramatic no)

  • 5. Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): Lauka (Hmmm. Let me try this.. "Lauka, I am your father". Yea, I like it....kindof like a misspelled Luke)

  • 6. Superhero name (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Black Coffee (That's dumb. What's my superpower? Watch out, or I'll give ya coffee or I'll spill it on ya! Hmmm...)

  • 7. NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers): John Bertal or Bertal John (would both look good on a trophy...Bertal John reminds me of Beetlejuice for some reason. Wierd I know!)

  • 8. Stripper name (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): Happy Skittles or Vanilla Reeses. I think I like Happy Skittles more because it made me laugh.

  • 9. TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Holmes Helena (I can hear it now, "Yo...what's up Holmes? When is the weather going to get warm?) Ha!

  • 10. Spy name (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Summer Daisy (HA! I think I'll star in 007 with that winner there! ha!)

  • 11. Cartoon name: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Strawberry Sweats (but the four name cartoons titles are a hit, so I'd be Sponge Kasey Strawberry Sweats)

  • 12. Hippie name (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Coffee Weeping Willow (Does that sound hippie enough for you?)

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

17 days

Just so you know I have been accident and injury free for 17 days! woohoo! :) Also, went back to the doctor today for my back and we can start back up on the Artificial insemination again! yes...3rd time might be the charm for us. We'll see!

thoughts...

  • Can you believe April 1st is already here? I had a few April Fools jokes played on me at school today....none as cute at Katie's though! I think I am still recovering from Chicago. I have been so tired and not really having a break since being back has finally caught up with me. Kim posted what she thought about everyone she met on the trip, and I wanted to recap everyone I met on the Blog World Meets Real World Trip too! Out of the 6 other girls, I only knew Heather and I had met Nicole twice before. It was great getting to meet LeeAnn, Maria, Kim and Leslie.

  • LeeAnn: I had been reading her blog since January, so it will be nice going back and reading her previous posts. LeeAnn and I shared a room and the first night I was SO cold that I had to get my hat, another pair of socks, and a sweatshirt. LeeAnn was kind enough to say that I should have just climbed in with her....since it was the first day that we had actually met, in the middle of the night I thought it would just scare her! She is very sweet and I loved taking pictures with her at legoland and getting to talk to her. She seems like the person I would hang out with alot if we lived in the same town, so it was nice getting to know her. Next time we all get together, I might just hop in bed with her if I get too cold! ha! :)

  • Maria: Maria is very new to the blogging world. She actually didn't have one coming into this trip. Nicole made her one...and hasn't even posted yet! She is going to have to get on that! Not knowing what Maria was like, I was glad that she was a sweet person. The Michigan girls all knew one another, and actually Heather knew all of them too....so meeting her was quite nice! She was very funny playing the games with and I had a great time talking to her. We were the only ones there without any kiddos, so I guess you could say we bonded over that....I can't wait till our next trip with her too!

  • Kim: Kim knew no one coming into this trip, so right off the bat, I knew she was a brave woman! Heather and I picked her up at the airport and headed back to the condo. She fit right in with all of us. I was so impressed with her coming on a trip not knowing anyone....I had such a good time getting to know her and I also love the fact that she is a baseball fan! The opening season started yesterday for those who don't know. Kim was such a fun person to be around and I had a great time playing games with her and chatting with her. Kim was a little bit quieter than I thought, but not knowing anyone, it was to be expected! Hopefully on our next trip there will be even more people that we all can meet.

  • Leslie: Out of all the girls, Leslie was the one who was the most different from her blog. I thought she was a quiet person....and that was SO not the case! She was fun to be around and was very talkative and had a lot of great things to say. Leslie was a happy go lucky person who LOVED to shop! She was a lot of fun when we were playing games and I definitely couldn't keep up with her during our Saturday shopping trip. She has a TON of energy!

  • Nicole: such a trooper being SO pregnant! We had such a great time being the last 2 walkers of the group. I remember laughing so hard and her saying stop, otherwise she would pee in her pants! :) I had a such a great time with her and I can't wait till we all get together again. Remember Nicole, if you ever need help, don't yell bomb!!!! ;) I hope Hudson gets here soon so we can meet him and also so you can get your body back and not being in so much pain!

  • Heather: was a great driver partner. I loved actually getting to sit and talk with her for 10 hours...usually when we get together we have husband and kids or dogs in tow. It was very nice and relaxing. I also loved the fact that we could sit and talk or not talk and still feel okay. There was no uncomfortable silences. It was fun shopping through Ikea and I can't wait till we go back this summer so I can actually get things this time! I'm so excited! I am so glad for Heather getting me started with blogging so I could go on the trip to meet all these wonderful girls....

  • Things I realized about myself....
  • I am a lot more outgoing to strangers than I thought (returning LeeAnn's wrap at Al's, asking someone to take our pictures, etc.)
  • I have a quirky habit that I do with my hand when taking pictures....I actually put it on someone's shoulder (*gasp!*) ha ha nicole!
  • I don't have the stamina to shop all day like I used to.
  • I LOVED meeting these girls from the blog world! I can't wait till our next trip!!!