Where Does The Time Go?

I can't believe that it is Friday already!! Geez. I need a vacation from my vaction I think :) I knew it was going to go by pretty fast, so even though it will screw up our exam schedule next week, I'm hoping for a snow day on Monday. I'm awful, aren't I?

I just tore the seam on my new pajamas!! I must have been sitting funny on the leg - it's not a big tear, and easily along the seam so I can fix it, but bugger!!!

Last night I worked on the purple beast because the Hallowig was giving me trouble. Don't get me wrong - it's a great pattern, but I think because I'm left-handed the decreases are not in their right spot. Of course, I didn't think of this right away, only once I was several times in and I really don't want to frog it. Groan.

I'm meaning to work on my Hello Kitty bag this weekend, and maybe start one of the 6 sox, but I need to locate some needles.

My list of to-do's today also includes:

Picking up wedding photos for the paper announcement
Checking on a Jiminy Cricket bracelet link / Getting my grandmother a birthday card
Sending out stuff for my new social security card
Taxes
Thank you notes from the wedding
Getting together a knitting binder for all the sutff I print out from the 'net
grading
getting report cards ready
lesson plans
finalizing the final exams
cooking dinner

I guess I'd better get on it, the roads are mostly cleared and the stores should be opening soon!

Getting Good!

Yay! I've got the banner up! Huzzah! AND I got my comments back!!

Visiting with Nana was really good, went to PC and a great yarn store in Providence / near Brown University. Now I have the black that I need to continue working on my Hello Kitty bag. I worked on my Hallowig and am at the decreases - I might be done with it today!! But we have to do taxes and I should be grading / doing report cards.

I also came home last night to a fun package from my secret pal - a big thing of Mrs.Fields hot chocolate mix (white macadamia!!), frog stickers (so cute!), a "Teachers" Family brand soap (smells so pretty!) and a really cute book called "Furry Logic" - Thank you so much pal!!!

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Ch-Ch-Changes

Suz was so sweet to make me a banner - I love it so much! So I've been futzing with my layout so that the banner will look super! Plus it's always good to shake things up. When I did that though, somehow I have lost my comments (which I think were through haloscan), the type size on the sidebar of my blogroll links is too big, I've also misplaced my stickerplanet link and blogpatrol and truefresco things. Not anything urgent, but certainly annoying. If anyone cares to drop a comment I can be reached at
beccau AT care2 DOT com
for the time being.

Over the weekend we had our first dinner party for our parents - we had mine over saturday for dinner. Everything went pretty smooth. I think my dad was beaming, it was funny - like he was sitting back and enjoying the current generation put on the show (actually it was a lot like grampa, he would do the same thing when the family was all together) And I pleased my mom by finally setting the table right (I used the picture in the cookbook)

Sunday we went into New York to see the Gates. They were odd. Interesting. Amusing. It was really neat to see and walk among them, I'm glad we went - we also used it as an excuse to meet up with several friends from high school.

We came back to wet snow (haven't had any of that yet this year) and slept in way late yesterday. Did nothing for most of the day. At night I went out to the stitch-n-bitch - i liked the paperback cafe in saybrook - cute place, quiet, decent food. I forgot the second page of the Hallowig pattern, and the penguin to show and the slippers. I guess it wasn't my night. I did finish a scarf, so that's a plus.

Today I'm off to stay with my Nana - I'm not sure what we'll do (although it's so cold!!) but I'm looking forward to seeing her and giving her some company. I'm also planning to swing by PC to get a new t-shirt and a yarn store also in providence. I'm hunting for black yarn and small circular needles to make the wrist warmers in the Last Minute book.

Vacation Time!

Today starts February vacation! Although I've already booked myself up for most of it, it's a nice thought that I don't have to go to work for a week, and I'm busy with things I want to do (except for report cards).

Today I came home to a package from my secret pal! Belgian chocolates, Strawberry Shortcake stickers, a great journal and an adorable bear pin! Be jealous of me, because my secret pal truly rocks!! Thank you so much!

All this generosity further inspires me to be a great secret pal to my person! I picked up a few things for her today, I hope she likes them!!

And, Mindy (from gidget_casts_on) sent me a postcard and lucky scarab stitch marker! This is the first stitch marker I've ever received - it's so nice!! My rubber rings just won't cut it anymore :)

I really need to get a digital camera. My mini-pseudo-pda one is really not cutting it and I want to show off these great packages I've received! Also, I need to photograph and then scan the photo of Patrick, the penguin I made for Dan for Valentine's Day - he's finished this week and bringing us much joy :)

An Entire Post

Yesterday I was typing up a post, but then Dan came home and it was time to head out to dinner! Lucky us :) I hope everyone had a nice valentine's day, if you celebrate it. I was given some really cute (and unexpected) valentines from several of my students. Dan got me a great T and a Hello Kitty balloon from the store :) And dinner, of course.

And over the weekend I got my first gift from my SP4!! She had emailed me and left a comment about what was coming and on Saturday it was here!! I was gifted with Last Minute Knitted Gifts (Which, for all purposes that I heard was almost out of print and hard to find) and Encyclopedia of Knitting which I had my eye on for a while. I've already started working on a variation of the airy scarf that's in LMKG - I really just making alonger version because I don't know what else to do with the yarn if I have any left over, and I don't think I'm one to wear a short scarf like that. Anyway, thank you thank you thank you secret pal! I love them both!!

Happy Valentines Day

For Phyllis (My teacher training)

Hi Phyllis!
I just read the comments you left in my blog - I'm unable to email you because the email link tries to make me go through AOL which I don't use anymore. So I hope that you read this at it and it answers your questions!
I completed the weekend ARC program in May '04. The program as a whole I enjoyed and I think it prepared me well to be a teacher. I was lucky enough to find a job at a charter school with my Masters degree and the plan that I would complete the program. Teaching while taking the program gave me an interesting perspective.

Friday nights were spent in "Core" - these were mostly educational theory, touchy-feely sort of lectures - I didn't agree with most of what the people said, BUT they did clear up the state standards for teachers, and most of the alphabet soup that is involved in teaching (IEP, PPT, etc) The saturday classes were mostly your subject area (mine was general science / biology, even though my background is chemistry, I did this because I teach gen. sci) This class was SO AWESOME. I had two excellent teachers. It was a lot of hands-on, practical, useful stuff (I could try out the things I learned there immediately). We also had to practice teaching quite a bit. I met a nice group of people and have two binders FULL of great ideas.

The program was definetly intense. Tiring too, after working full time and prepping for school - to have homework and things. I had 2 papers to write for core (3 - 5 pages, really not bad, and if you didn't pass you were allowed to rewrite). I felt taken care of and made aware of due dates, tests, fees, etc. Good luck!

Fess Up

It's really hard to work on a gift knit for your significant other when you reside in a small apartment. I was working on the secret project at the Stitch-and-Bitch this week and even covertly working on it while we watched "Apprentice" and "Lost" and "Gilmore Girls" but I'm getting to the point of seaming! I was considering hiding out in the bathroom or the bedroom for about an hour, but that would have raised eyebrows. So I told him - I presented him with the penguin pieces and showed him the picture. Not how I intended, but hey, he was still surprised!

I really want to be working on the HelloKitty knit-a-long but I'm at the part where I need to focus on the chart stuff so it doesn't come out backwards or goofy.

I still want to finish the purple beast, also known as the sweater that is yet to be. I've got one front panel (it's supposed to be the buttonhole side, on the left, because I goofed in my leftyness) and I'm thinking I'll just leave the buttons off and do loops or something later... Groan.

I'm intested in finding yarn stores in Rhode Island - I found one in Providence, over near Brown - I'm thinking I'll swing by when I go to visit Nana during my Februray vacation.

Little Treasures

This weekend has had only some mild knitting moments. Last night I worked on my Lion Brand socks - I still think the leg portion of the sock is too huge. And I continued working on the ----- (can't say just in case DH decides to read this, it's a surprise). So far so good. I'm trying to decide what to do with the yarn that Sarah sent - it's gorgeous... I'm thinking maybe the flower bag from helloyarn.com

Today we wandered around the mall. I am loving


And I also wanted to purchase one of this, this, this, this, and this among everything else :) There's not enough time or skin to try it all :)

Random-ness

I was RAOK-ed today by knitterbelle - she sent me an oh-so-cute Hello kitty notepad. I have one now and I was just wondering the other day that I am going to have to ration the paper so it lasts :) Thank you so much for cheering me!

School was a zoo. The kids HATE the sub I had (which means he will be asked again, haha) and apparently one parent was shocked that her kid is failing. I spoke to the parent previously and told her that the biggest grade prior to the progress reports was a failing grade. She has since done makeup work, so it's not that bad now, but apparently it's MY fault and never the students fault. Oh well.

The funeral was ok. Actually it was a nice service, it was good to see my cousins again. Grampa would have loved the party afterwards.

I have one of his spare handkercheifs (not used, except by me yesterday) and I want to embroider or cross stitch or iron on Jiminy Cricket. Any leads?? Any ideas?? J.C. was a long running "part" of grampa and I really want him on the hanky to keep with me. But I'm getting stuck here...

Little knitting to report - I want to block the heart scarf, I'm working on a wrist warmer, but tonight I think I need to work on my grading.