Target Practice Challenge

Since I know how much you all loved my ACT problem, here's your next challenge.

Robin, Marion, and Little John each fired six arrows, and each scored 142 points. Robin's first two turns scored 44 points. Marion's first try earned her six points. Who scored a bull's eye? Remember, don't look at the answers until you've solved it (or at least tried!) on your own! Also, if you do figure it out, make sure you explain it on your post so the people who didn't really want to try can figure it out. :) Have fun!

Supervision

I'm a teacher, so I'm sure I know better. All of you who have small children will shake your heads in pity. Of course, you would NEVER leave a bottle of blue food coloring out on the counter! You can only imagine what your small children might do with it!

Well, not having small children, I DID leave a bottle of blue food coloring on the counter. And, a mere 4 drops later, here's what my BIG kid managed to do!

(Look carefully at his teeth.)

Looks like someone needs to teach me a lesson about better supervision! :)

Who Knew?

Who knew 40 degrees could feel warm? But that's our weather this weekend, and it actually feels nice compared to what we've had!

On a side note, I finally bought some wrapping paper so I can finish wrapping gifts. (I ran out earlier, so I've just had a bunch of presents laid out on our spare bed, waiting to be wrapped.) Yay for Christmas!

Guess I better go and actually make dinner, huh?...

Snow Day!

Here's the view from my front window this morning! (Sorry about the flash - I should have turned it off...)

Yes, my poor husband had to get up about an hour early to shovel all of this. What a champ!

So obviously (by the title of this post), I don't have school today. And of course, who doesn't love an unexpected day off?! However, I will say that I wish it had held off until January. Here's my reasoning:

1. I don't need a break yet! We just had Thanksgiving, we'll have Christmas soon, and I'm not sick of school yet. But come January? Yeah, I'll be wanting a break then.

2. As you read in my previous post, I already did all of my laundry last night. In fact, my house is mostly clean, I'm mostly caught up on grading, and frankly, I don't have a lot to DO around here today! (Well, I could wrap Christmas presents, but I don't have any wrapping paper and I don't want to drive to go get some!)

3. Our school district doesn't have built in snow days. Any day we take off is added to the end of the year. If we start taking days off this early, we might go into June! Yuck!

But, despite my reluctance (of course compounded by my absolute hatred of snow and cold, as many of you are aware), I AM excited to have a day off! I already read a book this morning, and I think I'll even have time to put away all of my laundry! :) Feel free to comment or call if you're having a lazy day off, too!

Laundry

Do you ever have those days where just doing the laundry is a major accomplishment? No, that is not a picture of MY laundry (I just got it on the Internet), but sometimes I feel like I have a pile that big. This is especially compounded by the problem with our washer. It drains twice during each wash cycle, but if we aren't standing right there to repeatedly stop and start the washer, the water overflows and goes all over the laundry room floor. This means that we can't ever start the washer and forget about it. Instead, we have to make sure we are within earshot the entire cycle, then listen anxiously for the 2 long pauses that tell us to get up and RUN to the laundry room! Our dryer also takes at least an hour for one cycle, so doing 4 loads of laundry is an all day thing. You can't leave the house, and you can't do anything too involved or far away from the laundry room. And once your clothes are finally clean and dry, you still have to fold them and put them away! (Confession: that last one is the hardest for me! I have been known to do all the laundry and even have it folded, but then to have it sit in the laundry basket for a few days before I actually put it away. Sigh. I know, it's probably the easiest and fastest part! I have no idea why I put it off!!!)

Now, I don't mean to complain. I am SO GRATEFUL to have a washer and dryer so that I don't have to do all of our laundry by hand! I just posted this for 2 reasons:

1. I'm hoping that some other people out there also feel like doing the laundry is a major accomplishment. That way I don't feel so silly if it's the only thing I can say I've accomplished the entire Saturday.

2. I did a bunch of laundry last night! This made me happy, because I felt like I got something accomplished. Now, if I just make sure to actually put it away! (Yes, it is still sitting in the basket right now...)

It's Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas!

I put our tree up about a week ago, but I couldn't find our extension cord to plug it in! I finally remembered to get that, so here's our decorations! I also finally wrapped a few presents so it didn't look so bare underneath.

I love this season! Mike always laughs at me for putting up a tree since we're going out of town, but I just love having it there to plug in and appreciate. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Tag

~Christmas Tag~

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually paper, especially for family - more fun to open. We always have a huge wrapping party on Christmas Eve! But bags for the little chintzy gifts to co-workers and stuff if I'm in a hurry.

2. Real tree or artificial? Fake. That way I only have to spend the money once.

3. When do you put up the tree? It's turning into the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but it's not a set in stone tradition yet.

4. When do you take the tree down? Whenever I get around to it. I try not to go TOO late into January!

5. Do you like egg nog? yes. I can't drink much because it's so rich, but my husband has made himself sick (several times!) drinking too much at once.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? ??? Didn't have anything that really stands out from Christmas.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Probably my in laws. I'm never sure what they really would like, Mike is no help, and anything they really want they buy for themselves!

8. Easiest person to buy for? I think it's me! I always have a nice list of exactly what I want!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? I have a little dinky Dollar Store one because I wanted at least something. I will eventually buy a nice one, but I don't know when.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Hmmm... since I don't really send either, I'm not sure! I love to get either, although I think I like the email ones a little better since I don't feel guilty about throwing them away. I think that they would be easier to send if I ever did decide to (and cheaper!), but there is also something nice about getting actual snail mail. Hmmm... it's a toss up.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Ornaments. I get about a billion nasty unmatching grody ones from students every year, and I like my pretty matching tree! But then I feel guilty for not using their gift. Sigh. What a vicious cycle.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's a Wonderful Life

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually after Thanksgiving sometime. I don't have a huge list of people to buy for, so I really don't need to worry about it before that.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. How do you think I get rid of the nasty ornaments?!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? maybe fudge? But I like a lot of the Christmas-time treats.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, but I like them to be all white. I think it's prettier than colored.

17. Favorite Christmas Song? The First Noel, but many others are a close second.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I've gone home to Texas every single year of my life, but I guess next Christmas I'll have to figure out something different since there won't be a home there to go to! Not sure if we will stay or go after that... probably stay.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes, of course! Who can't?!

20. Angel on top of the tree or a star? Star, and it's a pretty one, too.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? It's snowy and dark and cold. Yuck. Give me spring any day!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? We have blue, silver, and red with our white lights. I think it's really nice!

24. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Hmmm... not sure. We've always done ham sandwiches and potato salad, which is good, but I don't have a huge favorite or anything.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? a paper shredder, some new tennis shoes, and a robe.

26. Who do you tag? No one is obligated. Feel free if you want!