courtney rebecca

Today, I'm thankful for an entire day laying on the couch, watching Doctor Who all day. I finally took a personal day, for the first time this year, just to give myself a break. Teachers are terrible about giving ourselves a day off... we get the Teacher Guilt. It's so hard to be out, but I needed to do this for myself. I love my job, but we haven't had a day off since Labor Day. I'm sorry, that's just crazy. And crazy-making. So I let myself take this day off, and I've been watching the end of Series 4 of Doctor Who all day! Oh, and the specials that are between Series 4 & Series 5. Oh man. I LOVE David Tennant as the Doctor. I'm sad I'm watching his last few episodes, but it's nice that he left while he was still doing a good job. He will be missed when I start Series 5 soon!

It's National Bundt Day! I've been reading the Food Librarian 's 30 Days of Bundt Cakes , and I just had to make a bundt today. Also, I may or may not have been incredibly wired after a really fun Zumba class. I made what has become (I guess) my "signature" cake. If I'm going to make a cake, it's almost always this one. Jason loves this cake. I make it in all forms! Layer cake, cupcakes, mini loaves, regular loaves, but the first way I made it was as a bundt. The recipe is from the Cake Mix Doctor, who I absolutely love. Every recipe I've tried from this book has been wonderful. And I used the wonderful Baker's Joy to spray the pan, and the bundt came out so pretty! I think it's the nicest looking bundt that I've ever made. Cream Cheese Pound Cake Ingredients: * 1 (18 ounce) box butter recipe cake mix * 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temp * 4 eggs * 1/2 cup sugar * 1/2 cup water * 1/2 cup vegetable oil * 2 teaspoons...

I was really tired today. I've just felt run down lately, but I had such an awesome planning meeting at the end of the day that it just jazzed me up. I found a couple of resources for my second grade teachers for a landforms and maps unit that they are starting. I talked with the two of them after school about it, and they just got so excited about what we were going to do to incorporate technology. Everything we talked about doing would actually make their lives easier, rather than add on extra work. I love when something works like that! One of my favourite things about my job is making my teachers' lives easier. I love to make them feel relief at their workload lessening. ;)

a Community gif that made me seriously laugh out loud. amaaaaazing scene.

Today I'm thankful for our new church home here. We spent the weekend on a retreat with the youth group, and it was so much fun. It was so nice to get to know the kids. It was also AMAZING to get out of town and just refocus. What a wonderful escape from the usual every day busy-ness. I'm thankful for our new church family here more and more as we get to know them. It's so nice to feel at home!

Today I'm thankful for childhood movies that get such a laugh out of my dad when even mentioned. I will never get rid of this movie. ;) I can't wait to force it on my kids someday! They will then know the comedic greatness of Chevy Chase and JTT's swoon-worthy (as a 12 year old) good looks. Ugh, look at those swoopy bangs. Seriously, my sister and I would rent this video at least every other time we went to Blockbuster. I wonder why we didn't just buy it... I got it on DVD at Walmart for $5 a couple of years ago! It's a classic in my family.

Today I'm thankful for a wonderful job that I love getting to do. Working with kids is so much fun, and I love all the amazing teachers that I get to work with as well! My job can be super stressful, but overall I'm still floored just about every day that this is my job and I really get to do this. I get to teach technology to kids in Kindergarten through Sixth grade, and help teachers use technology to make their instruction even better. Budgets are getting cut in education a lot right now, so I don't know how long I'll get to keep this job, but somehow that makes me love it even more. I cherish every day I get to work with these kids. Amazing.

Today I am thankful for a husband who cooks! I love to bake, but cooking is not my thing. However, tonight I made Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Shepherd's Pie for dinner. Okay, it definitely took me longer than 30 minutes to make it, but overall it was really easy! And it turned out delicious. I changed a couple of things in the recipe , as listed below! Ingredients * 2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed (used 1 lb mini gold yukon potatoes) * 2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese (used 1 tablespoon unsalted butter) * 1 large egg yolk * 1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth (used skim milk) * Salt and freshly ground black pepper * 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan * 1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb (used 1 lb extra lean ground beef) * 1 carrot, peeled and chopped * 1 onion, chopped (used 2 tablespoons dried minced onion) * 2 tablespoons butter * 2 tablespoons al...

I am so very excited that Thanksgiving is coming up soon. Three and a half weeks until we're flying to Houston to spend the holiday with J's family! Oh man, I need the break from work so bad, and it's been over a year since we've been to his parents' house. Today I am thankful for wonderful in-laws that are flying us down for the holiday. I am so blessed to have such lovely in-laws that I love and love me too!