New Years Resolution Update

For those of you who missed it, here are my new years resolutions: Bring it on, 2011

1. Making my own bread- check. I make 2 loaves of wheat bread every two weeks. I have finally found the "perfect" recipe which has become our staple. I also make our pizza crust, which is SO much cheaper than buying pizza. I am also able to keep some frozen, so when we are ready to eat it we pull it out, put our toppings on, and bake it! Super easy! Resolution #1 is so far an excuse!

2. Run 2 half marathons and a 10k before Christmas- checkish. I am running 3 half marathons and a full marathon. Not the exact goal, but definitely more of an accomplishment than the previous. Hopefully it all goes smoothly!

3. Menu's for the week- checkish. I did this during the school year, but not the summer. So far so good!

4. Go a year without cable- check.

5. Read the Bible more- uh-oh. This is not going well. It was, but then softball season hit and it went downhill from there. Hopefully I can get back on track.

6. Go through all the recipes on the frugalgirl- I give up. There's only two of us to eat lots of baked goods, and I don't want to get fat. It's for health reasons that I say no more of this goal.

I am definitely happy with the goals so far. Hopefully I can keep it up. :)

Life Without Cable

Best. Decision. Ever.

For Real.

I previously posted about how much I got done the weekish we got rid of cable. I was so productive, but I had a few worries about how much I would miss it over spring break and the summer when I was home by myself.

I do need to add that Chris and I did get Netflix, so we aren't completely unreliant on television. We are able to watch movies and select TV Shows on demand, which is nice when the weather is cold. Like 10 months out of the year. :(

This past week was my spring break; the first time to put my no-cable-is-awesome attitude to the test. Surprisingly, I still feel that having no cable is awesome. I know, I was shocked too. I baked, read, ran, visited, blogged, etc, instead of filling the silence with mindless TV. Not that I have anything against it, in fact, I love it. That's the problem.

It was actually very refreshing to have the TV off ALL week. Except of course when Chris and I watched an episode of Monk. I don't think I have ever experienced that much silence. I feel like sometimes if TV is an option I choose it over other things. But with TV not being an option, I do other, "more productive" things- which makes me feel better about my time away from school. Don't get me wrong though, I do enjoy a good movie to relax!

The best thing about no cable is when my students ask me if I saw an episode of a show, and I tell them we don't have cable so I didn't see it. They look at me like I am a weirdo. It's pretty awesome. But it goes to show how reliant Americans are on TV. People ask us how we do it, or why would we ever want to not have cable. They also recommend cheaper places for cable, because obviously the only reason someone wouldn't have cable is if they couldn't afford it. It would never be by choice.

Chris and I have agreed that there will not be cable back on at the Middaughs' for a long while. It really has been refreshing to have the TV off 99% of the time. The only thing we have missed are the sports. Which we can get over. ;)

Let me introduce you...

to my favorite pair of shoes.

My Chacos. Actually mine are green, but you get the picture. And why would I post a picture of my shoes you ask? Because it's snowing. And I hate snow at this point. I am ready for Chaco Weather.

The Real Test

I didn't realize how much I relied on cable. Holy moly.

Sunday was our first day without cable. It was totally fine, so I decided that life without cable was going to be fine. And it has been. But now I have a snow day.

What do I want to do on a snow day? Watch lifetime movies and mindless tv. That's what.

Lazy? Yes. Ashamed? Not one bit.

So, since I have no cable to mindlessly watch, and a movie doesn't sound awesome, I have cleaned my closet, made a loaf of bread, got everything out to make dessert for tonight, did laundry, and went to the gym.... and it's 11:10.

Eeek. Did I get anything done before Sunday?

I am realizing that this summer will be hard..... long days with no tv.

I guess I will have to read. ;)

Bring it on, 2011

I am not one for New Years Resolutions because I feel they don't last. For example on the Monday after New Years I went to Body Pump Class as usual. Normally there are about 20 of us, but on Monday there were about 40. I was not excited (because I am selfish and they cramped the room...), but knew they wouldn't last. I was right, and on Wednesday they were gone. No newbies.

I think it's funny to watch the work-out clothes, diet foods, and organization 'stuff' go on sale the first few weeks of the new year. Is that the only time people set goals/ make resolutions?

So here I go being hypocritical, though I will say these are things I was doing or planning to do before the new year- and I call them goals, not resolutions. Maybe the word change will bring success? ;)

Goal #1: Make my own bread and buy very little from the store. The reasons behind this is money and health. Chris buys "good" bread for his lunch. By baking my own we save about a dollar a loaf and I know exactly what's in the bread. Which I am a fan of... I have already made sandwich bread for the past two weeks, dinner rolls, garlic bread, and hamburger buns. All with the help of my new Kitchenaid, of course.

Goal #2: Run two half marathons before Christmas of next year and a 10K. I have one scheduled for April, and hopefully will the others scheduled when we figure out where we will be living.

Goal #3: Make menu's for the week. This will prevent last minute trips to the grocery store, wasting food, and hopefully save money. I figure if I am proactive in what we eat there will be no more food that goes bad (without my knowledge). It will also keep the stress down and during softball season Chris will be able to help with dinner more (we had frozen pizza at least 4 times a week last spring.)

Goal #4: Go a year without cable. This is already in progress. Today is day number 1. I have had cable my entire life and am a tad scared at the thought, but I know it will be good. I can already feel the productivity coming!

Goal #5: Read my Bible more. Much more. Because I slacked this year. Bad. I am aiming for 4 times a week at first.

Goal #6: Go through all of the recipes from TheFrugalGirl.com- because they're awesome and budget friendly. You should try it.

I have been big on setting goals this past year, and it worked. I planned to run a half marathon and become healthier minded- and I have. I can't wait to see the success that 2011 brings.

What are your goals for the coming year? How are you keeping track of your progress?

Monday: Goals

It's Monday morning, and I got up early to go to Pump class. But unfortunately the door is frozen shut and I need Chris to open it. So, instead of working out, I decided to make my Goal List of the week. I thought about doing this a while ago but never got around to it. I am planning on doing this at the beging of each week and hoping that if I put it on my blog I will do it....

1. Go to body pump 2 days (obviously 3 is out)
2. Run a total of 12 miles (not quite training for the second half yet...)
3. Do my quiet time at least 5 days this week
4. Finish 3rd period Short Stories
5. Track my calories (don't judge. It keeps me from eating a ridiculous amount.)

That's it.

Have a great Monday!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Christmas shopping began a while ago for me, only to be finished on Black Friday. Black Friday started early;Hailey, Becky, and I headed to Old Navy at 1:30. Next stop was Kohl's, Dicks, Limited, and Gap! We had a blast, and as you can see in the picture we spent our fair share of money!

My buff hubby carrying the tree!

Putting it up
Putting the lights on the house
Chris and I don't do well with waiting until Christmas to begin giving gifts. We gave Hailey and Joey their gifts early.


I don't have a finished picture of the tree yet, but let me tell you- it's special.... It is kept "straight" by a weight and fishing line. :) But it isn't really straight. Just don't tell my husband I said that.

The decorations are up and plans are made for a visit home! I love the holidays!

Yummy bread

I wanted to share a recipe with all of you today! It's very good bread, and super easy. It was my first loaf ever and I plan to make it often. Here is the link to the blog I found the recipe at: http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2009/03/wednesday-baking-cheap-cheap-breadfrench-bread/ I used white flour, but I plan on doing half wheat next time.

I recommend looking around the blog because it's awesome. She has some great ideas and recipes.

Update: My dad has an appointment for December 6 to get blood work done. Though this is an awfully long time to wait, I am grateful to have a day set. Thank you for your outpouring of love. Please continue to pray, especially for my mom, who isn't handling things as well as I thought.

Also, on a happier note, I ran for the first time since surgery. Even though the doc says to wait longer, I didn't. I have a 5K on Thursday and needed to get some miles in. It felt WONDERFUL! How I have missed it! :) I have been doing a Body Pump class three days a week, which rocks! If you have the option to take this class- you should!



And, guess what I had this morning.... That's right. A Starbucks Peppermint Mocha! Thanks to Becky for making a Starbucks run after our workout this morning!

These are the words I am determined to live by. I think I have been short with my students and Chris lately. I blame it on everything going on, but that isn't an excuse.

"When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule for everything

she says." Proverbs 31:26

Politics

Don't let the title scare you away. By no means is this about who you should vote for, political issues, why you should vote, etc. That's not really my style; but this my friends, is hilarious.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-olson/phil-davison-gop-speech_b_710642.html

Well, gee. It's been awhile.

I have started many posts, but have not felt any of them to be interesting enough to post. Quite frankly, this one probably shouldn't make the cut- but it's an update.

The running is going great. Don't get me wrong- I complain about having to run, sometimes I even dread it all day, but I really do love it once I am running. It has become my outlet. My way to get frustrations from the day out of my system so I can begin fresh the next day. And let me tell you- it works. I am so thankful God has shown me this and has allowed me to experience the difference it has made in me!

Chris and I are up to 10 miles about once a week. I total about 23 miles a week- on a good week. We have plateaued in distance since the race is still 8 weeks away. I have no doubt we could run the half marathon this weekend if we needed to. It is such a great feeling to be able to say that, because when we started I really thought I would be walking much of the way. Now, unless something happens, I know I am going to RUN across the finish line! Praise be to God for keeping us safe so far and teaching us how to keep going!

School is fabulous. It definitely has it's ups and downs but I really do enjoy my job. This year brings challenges of its own. One being that I have more lower level learners than last year. It has already shown to be a struggle. About half of my students don't do their homework on a regular basis. It seems that failure if acceptable. They don't read. I honestly don't even know if they listen. Do I stop giving homework and do everything in class? It will definitely be an interesting year.

On a happy note- and I mean really exciting! 97% of my student last year passed the end of course exam! Woo hoo! I was pumped! Praise God for their success!

On a sad note, we have less than a year left in West Lafayette if things go the way Chris plans. Graduate school is over this summer and from there we are hoping to move home. I am struggling with this. I have no desire to move again. I really love our town, our house, our church, our friends- I love life here. I know I will be happy anywhere but the thought of moving brings tears to my eyes. The hardest part is knowing that the chances of moving are high, but the chances of moving home are low. Which makes it harder. I know that God's plans are perfect and there is a bigger picture that Chris and I can't see- and we are both completely happy to follow his will in order to see all he has in store!

I think that's all. :)

Almost August? Already?

Two vacations, a mission trip, and a week of babysitting have made for the quickest summer yet. And I am not happy about that. I have three weeks until school starts (one of those weeks being a trip home) and I haven't done anything school related. In fact, I picked up my school bag yesterday to find cobwebs. I was so proud for my ability to relax, but felt a tad guilty thinking about all the plans I had to get so much done this summer...

So here I am , at school.... kind of working. And I might add, IN MY VERY OWN CLASSROOM! Woo hoo! No more male coach that can't leave his room while I am teaching because he are working on basketball plans. No more of the same male coach carrying basketballs into the classroom and hitting the walls with the basketballs while I am trying to teach. No more having to move stuff out of the front of the classroom in order to be able to teach in the previously mentioned classroom, because he never gets out of his chair to teach. Oh wait, does he teach? OK, done ranting. Needless to say, I am so so so excited to have my own classroom. Bulletin boards are done, files are mostly organized, my desk looks how it will probably look all year: messy. Though I may keep it cleaner since students will see it all year.

Speech syllabus is done. Sophomore English is as done as it will be. I will be getting to teach freshmen this year. I am excited about that, but dreading having to prep for another class. I almost gave up last year, but hopefully I will be more confident this year. Literature for life is still a class I struggle with. It's hard to plan curriculum for these students because the state standards are not clear.

A few things I am super excited about this fall:

• Football (high school and college)
• Seeing my kids (old and new!)
• Student Council
• Homecoming
• Cooler Weather
• My first half marathon
• My best friends wedding!
• Softball hitting
• Teaching ( I complain, but I really do love it)
• Being busy again
• Pumpkin flavor in everything. :)
• FHS blood drive
• Black Friday. :)
• My brother coming to visit

There are so many more things I am looking forward to, and actually, this post makes me ready for school. Remind me of this in October.

Oh my, oh my

I have two bits of news. One is a complaint and the other is an announcement (and no, I am not pregnant).

Complaint: We have two teachers retiring this year and one leaving. Word on the street is the newbies will get rooms- not me. Stupid. That's all. It may not even be true, but still.

Announcement: No Peace Corps. I know, I know. The last time I wrote about this subject I was "ecstatic", and indeed I really was. It was very exciting at the time, and at the time I really did feel God leading me to apply. I still don't doubt that he was. However, the past few weeks I have felt unsure and very pessimistic about continuing the application process. In fact, I have put off and put off the second part of the application. I am usually on top of things like this. I really dislike irresponsible people who can't meet deadlines- but I was becoming one. I couldn't work up the desire to take some of my quality time and fill out another application. It wasn't that I had more important things to do- I just didn't want to fill out the second part. I didn't understand. I kept praying about it and really started to feel that this was not where God was leading me. I don't know why I felt led to apply before- maybe it was a trust thing- but I knew for sure that at this point God was leading me away. So the time came to where I had to tell Chris. (I hadn't talked to him about it yet, because this was his idea and I didn't want to disappoint him.)

Sunday night came and we got to eat dinner together- which is unusual for softball season apparently. I started crying (poor Chris)- and just kept saying this is the hardest decision I have ever made. He understood, and had actually been feeling the same way. It's great how God works in each person! Chris already thinking he didn't want to go was a huge blessing because I already felt like I was ruining his life dreams. I know it sounds like I am being completely dramatic- and think what you will- but this was a huge deal for us to even consider, finally apply, and then back out. We aren't usually ones to "quit".

So, after much MORE prayer, and many pro and con lists, we have withdrawn our Peace Corps application. It's not for us right now. Does this mean moving back to Arkansas? We don't know. It means moving wherever the jobs are. I just know that I have never felt such a burden lifted. It was truly amazing how confident I felt the next morning. Which was a wonderful reminder that we made the right decision.

Have a great day!

First Step

I think this post is going to be a little ironic based on the contents of my previous post. But oh well.

It's official. We have submitted our applications for the Peace Corps. We were told that we would receive a phone call within the next two weeks for possible interviews.

For those of you who know me well, you know how hard of a decision it was for me to even consider thinking about applying. Chris first mentioned it last year (I think) and I said, "No." There was no way I was going to leave my family and friends. Ten hours is far enough away for me. My plan was to head back to Arkansas after Grad School- or at least closer home. I just can't imagine not being close enough to fly home for a funeral, wedding, birth, or any event that I "want" to be at. My Aunt's funeral in February was a reminder that life goes on- even if I am away. I have friends with weddings possibly approaching, maybe even babies. I don't want to miss these things. Big events still happen and I don't want to feel as though I am not able to see family and friends when I need them. I also can't fathom the idea of Christmas away from my family.

But, as I am learning, apparently God has his own plans. After tons and tons of prayer I finally felt God pushing me to apply. Now, this doesn't mean that we will accept or be accepted, but it's a start, and oddly enough, I am ecstatic. I think it would be an eye opening experience to immerse myself in another culture and get to know what life is like outside of my comfort zone. I want to learn what it's like to live in other people's shoes (at least a little more). I also feel it would be great for me professionaly- especially the fact that I will have to learn another langauge(maybe). I also think it would be a great experience to have with my hubby.

But like I said, they have to accept us first, and that's difficult. Apparently tons of people apply- and we are married- which make us harder to place. I am continually praying for God's guidance and that we are able to follow his will for our lives, and I ask you to do the same. :)

Interesting Weekend

This past weekend Chris and I chaperoned an 8th grade confimation retreat for the kids in our church. It was an absolute blast! It reminded me of being at camp, which I love. On Sunday morning we got ready to leave and pastor began to carry his stuff to his car. He noticed his tires were flat. He looked at our car and the other chaperones car and he realized that ALL of out tires were flat. At first we thought someone had just let the air out of our tires as a prank, but we quickly realized they had all been slashed! One car even got he window busted out. So here is a picture of our first bad experience in Indiana. Boo. Needless to say we got four new tires yesterday. We are still waiting on the insurance company to tell us how much they will pay. We have no clue who it could have been, and nothing was taken- it seems it was a random act of violence by someone.

An update on life...

It seems that the ability to relax is not a gift that Chris and I have. It's go, go, go all the time! Which I like, most of the time, until it effects my mood. I just don't understand how people have children... if we are this busy and have no kids, I can't imagine what life would be like with them. I think the same way when it comes to keeping the house clean and picked-up. If two of us are this messy I wonder what it would be like with children... crazy.

Any who- Chris is loving graduate school. I think it's a little harder than he realized it would be, and I must give him credit; he does more than just play with fish all day. Apparently there's a lot of math associated with studying fish... I'm not sure, but I know he spends a lot of time figuring out math problems. He also began teaching a lab for sophomores called Fish Ecology. I think he really likes it, though it's definitely out of his comfort zone.

I love my job every day- some days more than others. Every now and then I wonder if I am crazy, but I never think that I made the wrong choice by becoming a teacher. I know this is right where God wants me- for now. I feel bad for my students sometimes, because I am absolutely clueless... but they hang in there. The push me on a daily basis, which is pretty cool... sometimes intimidating, but I need it. Hmmm... I am still pushing around a cart. Which sucks. But hey, it's a job, and I have great students! I still forget at least one thing a day in my office and have to send someone to go get it. I also tend to be late for many of my classes. I do have to say that I forgot how whiny high school students are. It's absolutely ridiculous! I have started adding to assignments when they complain about having too much homework, or moving up a test when they say they don't have enough time, which I know is very mean, but it's working. They don't complain as much. :)

As for life outside of our jobs, we try our best to sit around the house and do nothing, but it usually lasts about an hour. Then we find a project we need to do around the house or errands that need to be run. Ya' know. Important stuff. We also are trying to get a college and twenties group going at our church, so that's a ton of fun. It's in the works, but we're excited!

We still love it here. A lot. If only they had mountains and stuff we would be okay. And if our friends and family would move here all would be perfect. :)

Gray Hairs, Forgotten Days, and the Office

Here are a few pictures of the office after we painted it. It was suppose to be a pretty eaasy task: however, once we peeled the 'baby' wallpaper off the yellow wall, we realized it was going to be more difficult than we thought. The paint under the wallpaper peeled, forcing us to have to sand the wall before we could prime it, and then apply two coats of paint. It was a headache- but we love the color now. And Chris finally has a 'fish' room.

On the other side of the fish there is a poster of Arkansas fish...

Picture of the office before we painted it.

Aside from painting, apparantly gray hairs come with teaching. I always hoped I had my dads hair, since he is just now turning gray... but I am afraid (though not for sure) that I may have inherited my moms hair- which means, I will go gray before 30. I also had to convince myself that this past Monday actually happened. I was driving home on Tuesday and I suddenly had no idea what day it was. I tried to remember what I did the day before, and all I could remember was church- so I thought it was Monday. It wasn't until the next day at school when someone informed me it was Wednesday, not Tuesday, that I realized I was a day off. I still don't remember Monday happening at all...

This weekend we are heading home! I am so excited! A good friend is getting married- and we couldn't miss it. We hoped to fly, but it's too expensive. So, it will be a long Friday and Sunday night as we drive to and from. But we can't wait!

Labor Day Weekend

We attended our first Purdue football game this weekend. Thanks to a fellow teacher who was not using his season passes! It was a blast, and the weather was perfect. It's no SEC football, but it will due. :)

Dixie's playdate with Chloe...

Friends of ours from church, Ben and Jessica, have the absolute cutest dog (besides Dixie). So, when they were coming over for dinner and suggested bringing Chloe, we were super excited! Dixie hasn't really played with another do since we left Little Rock, so we thought this would be perfect.

Chloe is a 3 month old Goldendoodle, and is FULL of energy. Dixie is 3 now, and has never been full of energy, so the combination was hilarious. Not to mention, Chloe is quite a bit bigger than Dixie. Chloe had Dixie running fearfully around the yeard within minutes. Eventually Dixie realized that Chloe wasn't going to eat her, and so, she played... a lot.

Other than football and cooking out, we went bike riding, ran errands, did homework, watcher NCIS, and went to 'Mosey Down Mainstreet'- a monthly event in West Lafayette.

It was a wonderful, relaxing weekend. And best of all, I am all caught up on grading. Until tomorrow anyway.

Movie

Chris and I rented 'The Soloist' last night, and it was wonderful. We found this link and read about the story too. It made me cry a tad- so cool.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez-skidrow-nathaniel-series,0,1456093.special

Indiana

Me and Chris by the Canal walk in Indianapolis.

The canal walk

Enjoying the rainy, cool 4th of July at a local park.

I honestly wondered if Indiana was going to be a place I could really enjoy. There are fields everywhere, mostly corn and soy beans. It's mainly flat- not many lakes or mountains to enjoy- and from what we've heard, cold. So, it put quite a few doubts in my head. But once we started exploring the town/ state a little more, we are starting to really like it! :) West Lafayette is a small town for the most part, but being a college town it offers everything you need, plus more. Everyone is super friendly and they are always up for a good conversation. There are lots of cute festivals on Main Street, and a farmers market 4 days a week! A lot of people walk and ride bikes wherever they need to go, which is fun. We try to do the same. Well, Chris rides his bike everyday since we only brought one car. Indiana itself, seems to have a few cool state parks and a few rivers to float. Chris has even heard of a few places that he can fish. We checked out Indianapolis and found a brewery we really liked. It seems to be a great community that we are coming to really appreciate. The town I teach in (Chalmers/ Brookston) are super cute towns! They have a lot of ma and pa shops and restaurants, so I can't wait to check those out!

Speaking of my job, I just found out I was going to be a 'floater'. Which means I don't have a classroom of my own- I walk from one room to the next. At least this way I don't have to worry about classroom decorations!

Chris is loving Purdue! He plays with fish... his dream! He gets samples of fish from lakes in Indiana and then measures and identifies them! Soon he will be teaching and taking classes.

We painted the living room a light blue color! It looks great! We have soom peeling problems in the office, so it's a work in progress.

Life here is wonderful!

So, we went to our first wedding since we got married, and I must say, it was much less stressful! :) It was nice to just sit back and watch- well for me. Chris was a groomsman. Ryan and Megan got married in Harrison, AR, and the wedding was beautiful!

Our wedding pictures are done! Yay! I am waiting on the CD so I can post some.

Other than that, there's nothing really interesting going on. I still haven't signed a contract at Frontier- so I am anxiously awaiting that event. I am ready to get started!

We found a church that we really like. It's Redeemer Lutheran Church in West Lafayette. It's very small and very friendly! We are excited about getting involved there. There are a bunch of kids, a few young couples, and some older folks- so, it will be interesting to see how God uses us.

As far as home improvements lately...I've been lazy. We are working on getting blinds up in the kitchen and Chris's office painted. I did finally organize all my craft 'crud'.

Chris has started on his grad school research! He has gone on two sample collecting trips in northern Indiana. I am not really sure what he does... I know he shocks fish. The next few weeks he will be processing those samples and getting ready to teach in the fall.

We have met a few fun people that we are excited about getting to know. Everything is great and we are looking forward to what is to come. =)