High Five for Friday!

I don't know about you, but I'm sure hap-hap-happy that the weekend is here!

T-minus three weeks until I am on Christmas Break!

Wa-hoo! Since you can't see my I'll describe the dance I'm doing in computer characters:

( / ) ( | ) ( \ ) ( / ) ( | ) ( \ )

Yeah...that's some tushie-wagging.  There's some arm-waving too, but the tushie wagging is sooooo much more fun to type!

So, my class worked on idioms this week.  Of course SOMEONE had to point out that it almost sounded like idiot.  *Facepalm*
We read the book "Even More Parts" by Tedd Arnold and made a list of idioms and what they really mean.
They then had to draw a picture of what it sounds like it means and what it really means.
This is a photo that one of my nuggets drew:  (Her idiom was "butterflies in my stomach")

I'd be nervous, too!  Hahaha.

I'm now dark brown and way shorter.  Love it!  Now I feel like me.

Hooray for yummy fish!  I was pleasantly surprised that the frozen fish from Kroger tasted so good!

I went back to my high school tonight to help my dad entertain during the annual Holy Walk.

 Left photo: I forgot about the green tile in the bathroom.
Right photo: The group that sang after us.

Left photo: My pops.
Right photo: A friend of my dads donated a box of a local delicacy; Leman's Mints...yum!!

 Left photo: A closeup.
Right photo: My dad's costume changes.

 Left photo: People heard they could come get some mints.
Right photo: This photo was taken about 5 minutes after the other picture of the box!

Last, but not least; Handsome Husband and I are running in a 6K tomorrow morning with our friends John and April.  John and Handsome Husband are going to be done in no time and April and I are going to trudge along together while listening to our tunage.  Yeah buddy!

One of the things I love about running in races is getting the goody bag:

Can't wait!

How was your week??

Laters!

Mrs. B

Garbage

So, I have been fighting some monster cravings since starting this diet.  

Sugar, carbs and fatty things have been calling my name.

However, I haven't been answering :)

I got home late-ish tonight (7:00) and was starving.  Handsome Husband is at the Notre Dame mens basketball game with his dad tonight.  When he is out I usually get Jimmy John's or something along those lines (fast food).  Since I decided to actually stick with this diet I decided to raid the fridge.

I found:

ground turkey

steamable broccoli

and cabbage

My mom makes a terrific mash-up of ground turkey, cabbage, cauliflower, and peppers.

I think it was fate that I had almost the same ingredients in my fridge!  

I cooked the turkey in a non-stick skillet until it was almost done.

While I was cooking the turkey I put the bag'o'broccoli in the microwave to cook.

When the broccoli was done I dumped it and the cabbage into the skillet and let it warm together.

I sprinkled garlic salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper.

Yummy and 17-day Diet friendly!!!  And it only took me 15 minutes!

This dish is what my family affectionately calls Garbage because you take what you have and throw it together.  It's my favorite thing because it's not often the same.

I hope you all have a great night!!

Laters!

Mrs. B

What I'm Loving

I couldn't decide on what to write about today and then I saw one of the blogs I follow had linked up with Jamie at this kind of love to talk about what she was loving this week.

I figured it couldn't hurt to give some things some loving today, so here goes:

I am loving my kids writing this week!  I never thought that they could be writing so well in such a short time.  We are working on writing opinion paragraphs and I can see how the skills we've worked on in the past few weeks have started to solidify in their little brains.

I am loving that Notre Dame is ranked number 1 AND undefeated!  What a season!

Handsome Husband was pretty stoked, too!

This beer that I tried last week was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

It is called Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.

It is made in just-emptied bourbon barrels and tastes like a delicious bourbon.

Right up my alley.

What are you loving today??

Laters! 

Mrs. B

Terrific Tuesday!

Other than my nuggets being a bit zombie-ish, today was a great day!

They are a bit too calm right now.

I know, I know...that's going to come back to bite my butt.

Last week we took the unit test for Journeys Unit 2.

Look at the growth from our little nuggets!!

This data is from the phonics portion only, but we test on everything.

These are the percentages for the whole grade.

::Created by Michael Wagner::

This is just amazing.  

We don't read these tests to them.  Our nuggets do it all.

What a great snapshot to have in my brain (and it theirs!).

Another funny bit came from one of my nuggets today:

I have been wearing reading glasses around the classroom to check the strength (per my eye doctor) and my nuggets have been enamored.

One such nugget came up to me today and said, "You look vewy cute in your gwasses, Mrs. Bodnar!"

I said, "Thank you."

He then proceeded to ask, "So, do I still need to miss 5 minutes of music??"

Hahahahahaha!!!  They learn so quickly don't they??

I can't wait to tell you all about the writing that they have been doing lately!

Those nuggets are going to go to third grade writing like champs...by hook or by crook!

I hope you had a great day, too!!

Laters!

Mrs. B

The Battle of the Bulge

Handsome Husband and I are fighting the battle of the bulge after too much indulgence last week and weekend.  We are back on our totally trusted, never fail bulge fighting method.

When we feel a bit chunky we haul out our trusty "17-day Diet" book.

Picture taken from the Barnes and Noble website.

This diet is more a way of eating for fuel instead of for fun.

It's a pretty basic way to get used to smaller portions and more fruits and veggies.

It also requires you to drink a ton of water (which is only bad if I can't get to the bathroom during the school day!  Random bathroom breaks anyone??!)

Handsome Husband did it for about a month and a half and lost 20 pounds.

My mom and dad did it for 2 months and each lost over 15 pounds.

A friend from my church has been doing it for a year and has lost almost 60 pounds!!

Since we are in the first cycle, we are allowed unlimited veggies and lean protein.  That made dinner an easy choice!  Baked tilapia and asparagus.  Yummo!

I tried my hand at frozen fish filets.  I was pleasantly surprised!  We used the tilapia filets from our local Kroger.  They were conveniently packaged and cooked up well.

Handsome Husband and I have also signed up for a 6K on Saturday called the St. Nick Six.

I agreed to do it without realizing that it was this coming Saturday!!!!  Oops.

Welp, I guess my non-running-since-the-hotter-than-Hades-half-marathon-I-did-over-a-year-ago butt is either going to survive or die.  Looks like I'll be doing some running this week!

This diet truly works as long as you stay true to it.  It's super easy, but my willpower isn't always so strong.  I just need to keep telling myself that nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.  

How's your own battle of the bulge??  Overindulgence??  Just right-ness??

Laters!

Mrs. B

High Five for (a Thankful!) Friday

Even on Thanksgiving break, Fridays are my favorite.  

There is something about knowing that you get to start over again.

Gotta love 4-day weekends!

Here's my top 5:

Gotta love planning with the crew.  My brain was fried. 

This thing is going to be the death of me...I left it at school Tuesday and in the back of Schwartz's car Wednesday.  I should use a purse. 

 I got to hang with this lovely nugget today.  Diva decided she needed a costume change midway through our day together, though.  She DID take a 3 hour nap, too.  She's awesome...and she loves me!  #beinganauntieisthebest

I wasn't sure people read this thing...I never knew having less than 200 followers would be a plus!  Thanks Melissa!! 

Steak and brussels sprouts...yummo!!  I love hearing Handsome Husband sing my praises.  Well, as best he can with is mouth full!  The way to Handsome Husband's heart is through his stomach.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and enjoy your weekend!

Laters!

Mrs. B

Thankful

Handsome Husband and I had a wonderful day yesterday celebrating Thanksgiving.

We started the holiday with the lighting ceremony in Bremen Wednesday night. 

Our church sings for the ceremony each year.

Here is our holiday in pictures:

Someone was being funny during the lighting ceremony.  (Dad's guitar case)

Mom took my camera.

Cheesing for the camera.

Steve.

The oldest went first.  He's 93.  She's 86.

My pops.

Awesome shirt!

With Handsome Husband's family at the lake.

Jim and Susan...great picture!  (If I may say so myself!)

Carol.

Watching Carol.

Handsome Husband...love him with a beard!  Man, he's cute!  And no...he doesn't have his eyes closed...he just smiles big.

1.  I am thankful for my family...the whole, crazy lot of them.
2.  I am thankful for Handsome Husband and the fact that he loves me for me.
3.  I am thankful for a job that I enjoy going to each day, no matter how hard it gets.  Great students and coworkers do that :)
4.  I am thankful for all of you reading this.

Laters,

Mrs. B

Liebster Award!

Hey all, Melissa from A mile in her boots nominated me for the Liebster Award! I had never heard of this until now!  Super cool!

The Liebster Award is given to new or up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers. It's a great way to find new and noteworthy blogs. 

The Rules:

1. Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, and then create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.
3. Choose 11 new bloggers(with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.
4. Go back to their page and tell them about the award.
5. No tag backs

11 Random Facts About Me

1.  I am a singer.  I sing in the car, I sing to my nuggets and I sing to Handsome Husband.  I can usually connect the oddest situations to a song.  I recorded a Bruce Springsteen song to surprise Handsome Husband for the our first dance.  I love Queen and anything by them.

2.  I am OCD about the most random things...I ALWAYS have clean clothes in a laundry basket (or piled on the floor) but I hate it when Handsome Husband doesn't push in the chairs around the dining room table or doesn't put the dishes away the way I think it should be done.  I also can't have messy papers.  If I mess up on something I am writing (in pen or marker) I will always start over.  My coworkers make fun of me for it A LOT!

3.  I am obsessed with Post-It Notes.  I have an entire pouch stashed in my teacher bag filled with them.  I have them in apple shapes, hearts, stars; big, lined ones and all different colors.  I made my stinking plan book out of them for heaven's sake!

4.  I have a thing for really bad movies and sequels.  I judge whether or not I'm going to like a movie by the bad reviews the critics give.

5.  I LOVE to make whipped cream.  I will bake something just so I can make some.

6.  I became a beer snob after visiting Germany.  I went a Bud Light lover and left a craft beer fan.  I love me a cold Bell's Oberon.

7.  The first time I watched P. S. I Love You I started crying 5 minutes in and continued to cry for the rest of the movie.

8.  I love devouring a great book (with a glass of wine or without) but I don't get a lot of time to read during the school year.  I usually read a book a day during the summer.  (I'm a bit of a speed reader.)

9.  I never wear matching socks...ever.  

10.  I will stay up late to watch Criminal Minds and CSI  no matter how tired I am.  

11.  I have a M.A.J.O.R. scarf obsession.  My favorite place to get scarves (and jewelery!!!) is at the farmer's market at Ali Oesch's booth.  I spend WWWAAAYYY too much here.  Handsome Husband knows that ANYTHING from her is worth it.  I always know when he goes because he tells me that she and her mom said, "Hi!."  I can usually go through her website and say, "Yup...I've got that and that and that and that and that..." :-)

Melissa's questions:

1. Where did you grow up?  I grew up on the East coast and in the Midwest.  I lived in Massachusetts until I was 5, Maine until I was 10 and then Indiana.

2. If you could live anywhere where would it be?  I L.O.V.E. Maine.  I think it's the hills and trees.

3. What is on your DVR at all times?  Bones, CSI, Criminal Minds, Walking Dead, How I Met Your Mother (It seems like I would have a lot of time on my hands but I truly don't!)

4. What are two things on your bucket list?  Visit all the Major League Baseball parks at least once 

5. Where can you usually be found doing on the weekends?  Do teachers get weekends???  I usually spend Friday night catching up on the DVR with Handsome Husband, Saturday with friends, and Sunday at church and with my folks.

6. What's your favorite hobby?  I love to sing and read.  I can't pick the one I love more.  If I could sing and read at the same time I would be one happy girl...now if only my dad the preacher would condone crocheting while he preaches.

7. Are you guilty of watching reality shows? Which ones?  Not really...I love singing but I have trouble watching American Idol or the Voice.

8. What is your favorite holiday and why? I love Christmas.  I enjoy having our family Christmas at my parent's house, Christmas with the in-laws, and going to New Buffalo for Christmas with Handsome Husband's extended family.

9. Do you have a favorite quote that is meaningful to you?  Don't be afraid to fail...be afraid not to try by Michael Jordan.

10. What is your favorite thing about blogging?    I love being able to have a place to put my thoughts and ideas out there and finding someone who thinks in the same ways.

11. Do you have a beauty product you can not live without?  Cover Girl Very Black mascara.

Jordan's questions for nominees:

1.  What is your favorite band? 

2.  Wine or beer?

3.  What is your movie and why?

4.  What is your favorite hobby?

5.  Are you a morning person or a night owl?

6.  What is your favorite holiday recipe?

7.  What is your favorite season and why?

8.  What is your favorite feature about yourself?

9.  What is your favorite part of blogging and why?

10.  Coffee or tea?

11.  Do you have anything you can't live without?    

My nominees:

Brit and Justin:  Gators and Grace

Sarah Beth:  Our Family of Three

Whitney:  Polka Dotty Place

Laura:  Chaotic Domestic

Brianna:  Blah Blah Blog

KC:  Confessions of the Domestically Impaired

Amber:  Bumbers Bumblings

Jessica:  Hope, Faith and Blessings

Ashley:  The Bald and the Beautiful

Chelsea:  Bit Beautiful Broke

Working on Something Wicked Cool!!

I got a pretty cool message today...I'm currently working on the post to go with it.

I'm beyond honored and excited!

I never thought that having less than 200 followers would be something that excited me! 

Check back soon...!!

On that note...

I took this picture yesterday at school.  The days before a break are always the hardest.

Our little nuggets have been working their tushies off on our Unit 2 tests the past two days.

They are great...really!

These little flip-flopped shoes made me laugh out loud at lunch.  

We spend so much time cramming things into those little brains that some things get lost in the shuffle.

I wonder how many others there are!

Laters!

Mrs. B

Movies and Monday NIght Football

Hi, my name is Jordan and I have a confession...

I R.E.A.L.L.Y. liked the new Twilight movie.

I can't believe I just said that on the internet.

No taking that one back.

This was my fourth Twilight movie with my friend Bob.  He works with Handsome Husband and is also a fan of the books.  The only one we haven't gone to together is the first one.

Handsome Husband usually pulls him aside, hands him twenty bucks and says, "Thanks for taking her so that I don't have to!"

Gotta love him.

There was a twist that made me gasp and whisper-shout, "No way!!  That's not in the book!" while swatting at Bob's arm.

My speed-racing brain put everything together very quickly and then had me whisper-shouting, "I get it!  I get it!!  Do you get it????!!!!!"  All the while I was swatting at Bob again.

Bless him.

I came straight home after the movie in order to shred the Italian beef that I made for Handsome Husband's Monday Night Football party.

I love knowing that he is having fun in the basement with his friends who are admiring my "cooking".  

I love my crockpot...

3 1/2 lb roast

packet of Italian seasoning

1 can of beef broth

1 large jar of pepperocinis (Hot!)

Put everything in crockpot and cook on low for 10 - 12 hours

Yummo!!

What a great start to a short week!  

I'm excited for Thursday!!

Laters, 

Mrs. B

HIgh 5 for Friday!

T.G.I.F, man.  

For serious!  It has been the longest week ever...

I didn't even know what yesterday was.  I couldn't have told you for the life of me.

But, today marks the start of a new weekend and (hopefully!!) some relaxation. 

Here's the rundown of my week and weekend...

1)  Andrea's coming to town!!  We (her husband, her gorgeous self, her cute daughter,  Handsome Husband and I) are going tailgating tomorrow at Notre Dame.  It was fate that she caught the bouquet.  I love this photo of us at my wedding.

2)  What am I teaching those kids???  I laughed V.E.R.Y. hard when I saw this. (and immediately said, "This is going on my blog.")

3) Handsome Husband and I went to see Lewis Black last night.  He was great!  We were sssssooooo tired, though!  I didn't know if I would make it through.  Dang you, 4:45 am.

4)  This is Bobbie...she is my in-laws dog.  She is one of my in-laws dogs.  My in-laws went to South Africa (to visit my SIL, who is in the graduate program at Notre Dame) and Europe for 2 weeks.  Apparently Bobbie was PISSED...she crapped all over the upstairs while they were gone...and it get's worse.  My in-laws got home late last night.  My MIL got into bed and Bobbie jumped up.  Then my FIL walked into the room.  She looked at him and then PEED all over the bed!!!!!!  Talk about holding a grudge! 

5)  I love playing with my new camera.  I'm still not sure if I'm keeping this one.  (I've been doing research.)  My student's have loved seeing me with it at recess because I seem to get great photos of them!  I am also loving the website my friend turned me on to (Pixlr)

I am slightly very disappointed with our wedding photos.  I hate to even look at them.  My mom and I (we did the research) thought that we were getting artsy, unusual photos.  That wasn't what happened.  Since I now own the rights to them I am going to fiddle with them on Pixlr to see if I can make them what I wanted.  Now, I'm excited to put my mom's and MIL's albums together.  

I hope you have a great weekend!!  I know I'll try to!

Laters!!

Mrs. B

Decisions Decisions

Ugh, people, ugh.

I have been diligently taking photos with my iPhone since I started blogging "regularly" and I have been wishing I could take better photos.

So, I bought a camera.

A Nikon L810. 

I didn't buy the camera from this place, but it's where I took the picture from...

I'm not sure how I feel yet.

I've read some reviews, played with it and am worried that I'm not going to be satisfied.  

My next option is a DSLR.

I've talked to people and have heard great things about both point and shoot cameras (like above) and DSLR cameras.

I would like the effects of Instagram without the Instagram!  

I have always loved taking pictures and have always tried to take great pictures, but the equipment truly matters.

Decisions, decisions.

Welp, at least I have a 60-day return policy.

Here are some of the pictures I have been snapping:

I dunno...I'll keep playing!

Laters!

Mrs. B