My Chili Success Story

In the fall/winter of 2002, Mitch and I hosted a friend of ours from college and her husband for dinner.  We had just gotten married, and were living in our new townhouse in Plainfield.  As "new" adults, we liked to host people at the house and entertain, and this occasion was no different.  Because it was a weeknight, I needed a meal that was easy to prepare, and so I decided to make chili.  

I called my mom for her chili recipe (because I like hers the best), mixed it up, and put it in my brand-new, never-been-used crock pot before I went to work.  I was so excited to come home with the house smelling like chili, and was shocked when I opened the door and the house smelled like something was burning.  I went to the crock pot, and sadly, the chili was crispy.  I'm not sure if I didn't have enough liquid or what (Mitch is convinced I turned it on too high), but the whole batch was fused to the crock pot.  I couldn't even scrape it off the sides, so I ended up throwing the whole thing, crock pot included, away, and ordered pizza.  

Since the "chili incident" as I now refer to it, I have been afraid to make chili for fear that I would burn it and ruin another crock pot.  However, I have been craving chili something awful lately (such is the case for pregnant ladies), and decided to chance it yesterday.  I was off work, and decided this would be the best time to make it, since I could be at home in case it started to burn.  So, I dumped all of the ingredients into the crock pot, simmered and stirred, and here's how it turned out - 

I was relieved to know that I'm not a total idiot when making chili, and look forward to making  this comfort food often now!

Yep, We're Having a Baby!

It's official - I am pregnant.  Mitch and I found out the weekend after Thanksgiving, and have kept it a secret for almost three weeks, letting the information sink in to us and waiting so that we could tell our family and friends in person over the holidays.  It has been so much fun telling everyone and watching their reactions - some expected, others not.  I'd have to say that Mom P. wins the Most Tears award, while Janet wins Biggest-Hug-Followed-By-A-Belly-Rub award.  (She was the first to do the pregnancy belly rub, much to my sister Katie's disappointment.)  Mitch's parents win Most Surprised award, as they were "shocked!" when we told them.  (They've since gone from shocked to excited.)  And my sister Winnie?  She didn't even believe me as I told her over the phone.  It took a full two minutes to convince her.  

The entire month has been full of emotion, from pure joy and elation to fear and surrealism about the whole thing.  We've dutifully been reading up on pregnancies and babies, as Mitch knows virtually nothing about having a kid, and he is quickly becoming my walking encyclopedia of knowledge.  He is quick to let me know what I can and cannot eat (most of the time I'm not annoyed), and is increasingly attentive, taking very good care of me as I go through the first trimester.  

And oh yes, as it is in the first trimester, I have been sick.  Not head-in-the-toilet sick (yet), but the constant nauseous, heartburn, constipation, body aches, tired sick.  Be prepared in the next eight months for some complaining (and I'll do my best not to share too much information!).  Because pregnancy isn't just all fun and roses, I am quickly learning.  At least I get to nap a lot without feeling guilty now!

Thank you to everyone for their well-wishes, phone calls, texts, and support as Mitch and I become parents in August.  We have the best family and friends!  Now I have to go eat some fiber.

No More Wine For Tina

Merry Christmas!

We at Fifty Below Zero wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas, and we hope that Santa was good to you!

Christmas Eve at the office

As you can see, not many people are still here at this hour. I need a job with paid holidays.

Happy Festivus!

If You Aren't in the Christmas Spirit Yet

Christmastime brings about wonderful things - traditions, time with family and friends, shopping and eating, and of course, tacky outdoor decorations.  I've seen plenty of tackiness in my lifetime.  A family in Dwight was notorious for their homemade lawn decorations.  Our friend Ronny's parents fill their yard with every plastic light-up eyesore imaginable - Santa complete with reindeer and sleigh, nutcrackers, the Nativity scene, candy canes, elves, and the list goes on and on.  But this year, one of our neighbors takes the prize for the ugliest, most unusual Christmas decoration.

You can see compared to the house how big this electric palm tree is - about 25 feet in my estimation.  Every night it goes on, glowing bright green and brown and reminding us Minnesotans that we are stupid for living in  this frozen tundra and helping us to think of warmer climates when it is -11 out.  

I just have the urge to drink a Corona whenever I see it.  

Jingle Bell Doc

Last night Mitch's entire family and I spent the night out at dinner and a show. The dinner had been "planned" since we moved up here, to celebrate Mitch's passing of the bar, the purchase of new houses for ourselves and Mitch's sister's family, and we also were able to celebrate Sal's birthday, which is today. (Happy Birthday!) We had dinner at Oceannaire, which is now in my opinion one of the greatest restaurants in the Twin Cities. The wedge salad was the best I've ever had - it had huge hunks of blue cheese and perfectly ripe beefsteak tomatoes. Where they found these tomatoes in the middle of a snowstorm in December is beyond me, but they were to die for. Then, the crab cakes came....and I fell in love. Seriously, probably the best crab cakes I've ever had. Mitch's mom is a connoisseur of sorts when it comes to crab cakes, and if she says they're the best, then they are. A perfect finish to dinner - baked Alaskan and coffee - and it was off to the symphony.

We got tickets about a month ago to see "Jingle Bell Doc" - a pops performance at Orchestra Hall featuring the Minnesota Symphony, the Minnesota Chorale, the Twin Cities Bronze (handbell choir) and the Ascension Youth Choir. The guy running this show - none other than Doc Severinsen.

Now, if you're not sure who Doc Severinsen is, he is best known for his tenure as bandleader and trumpeteer on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson.

He's also known for his penchant for velvet. His wardrobe did not disappoint last night - in fact, he had TWO outfits for the performance - one for each half. Sadly, I don't have pictures of these, but I'll do my best to describe.

The first outfit was a simple black shirt and black pants with jacket. However, the black pants had been Bedazzled into very tasteful random dots, almost like stars. And the jacket was a gold, red, and green paisley glittery jacket with a black lapel. It was straight from the Liberacce museum, but he claimed he bought the fabric "at the Pope's garage sale - it used to be his shower curtain". It's no wonder there were some tempo issues in the performance - I'm sure the orchestra had a hard time seeing him from the glare of the jacket!

The second outfit was a little more understated - green velvet pants and a green velvet coat with a blue shirt and silver sequined tie. The coat had been Bedazzled as well, with silver designs that were unrecognizable. Some thought they were candy canes, while others thought they could be "c"s for Christmas. I thought they looked like horseshoes.

Other than the fact that Doc is a bit of a rusher, the performance was great. There was just enough mix of big band-style music and orchestral numbers, and the addition of the choirs and handbells were great. The only disappointment was the performance of "Sleigh Ride". They didn't do the original version, but a strange, shorter, no temple-blocks version. I HATED it, especially since I was completely psyched for Leroy Anderson's original version. (Here's your tidbit of knowledge for the day - Leroy Anderson wrote "Sleigh Ride" in the middle of July during a heat wave. Now I'll put away my dorky music knowlege.)

We had a great time last night. Here's to hoping Doc comes back next year!

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

So, today was a big day!  It got above 0 degrees!  Woo hoo!!

Seriously, it is so cold here, I can hardly stand it.  It is frigid, nose hairs freeze when you inhale cold.  My extremities are NEVER warm.  I am someone who is still in "Illinois" mode - forgetting to put on my gloves before I go outside, not wearing winter boots, don't have a good, warm hat....after walking to my car today from my school (only about 30 feet - maybe), I thought my fingers were going to freeze off.  Thankfully, I think Santa (aka mom and dad) is bringing me a warm hat and gloves for Christmas and I'm hoping for some liners for my rain boots to turn them into snow ones.  Because I need them.  

And the snow.  It started snowing again today.  I'm confident that if this were Illinois, we'd have had at least one snow day already.  But no, the plows are good here!  (Which I am thankful for.)  We're supposed to get more snow on Thursday, and then more this weekend.  Belinda and Sven, the weatherpeople on TV, keep saying to go "enjoy the weather".  Are you serious?  Who in their right mind would be outside in this?  But people up here love it.  I've seen people cross-country skiing in our neighborhood, in addition to snowmobiles, still walking outside, and the neighbors behind us even have a hockey rink in their backyard.  I'm not kidding.  

To top it off, Mitch tells me today - "embrace the weather".  What?!?  Apparently, he's still staying positive.  Only because he needs to keep snowblowing.....(again, which I'm thankful for.)

So, maybe someday I'll learn to snowshoe or cross-country ski or whatever else they do outdoors.  You can rent equipment at the parks here.  But until then, I'm going to complain about the cold and snow.  Because dammit, I'm FREEZING!

I Was Tagged

A LONG time ago, the Mrs. tagged me to confess the six weird things about myself.  So, because I want to do nothing but sit cuddled on the couch with my laptop, I thought I'd share the six weirdest things about me, which is hard to do!  (Only because there is a lot of things - what to narrow it down to?)

1.  I have ugly feet.  No, change that.  Ugly FOOT.  My right foot is very normal - no problems.  My left foot, though, is dry, scaly, and has a weird middle toe.  No matter what I do - scrub, exfoliate, loofah, moisturize - it never looks any better.  I have no idea why.  I asked the doctor about it once, and she said not to worry about it.  So I don't, but I sure hate to "show it off" in the summertime.  

2.  I put my left contact in first, then my right.  BUT, when I take them out, I do the opposite.  Usually people do them in the same order.  I don't.

3.  I pick at my cuticles.  And zits.  And dead skin.  I'm not sure that's weird, but I know it's gross.  What can I say?

4.  I LOVE to eat Doritos and cottage cheese together.  It's not something I've done in a really long time, but I love it.  I also love cottage cheese on the side of my stir-fry.  I have no idea why, but it just tastes good to me!  I also like to eat Ramen noodles by dipping cheese and crackers into them.  It's the best way to eat it!

5.  On the same topic, if I could eat anything for the rest of my life, I would eat manicotti, egg bake, tacos, and sandwiches.  I could eat those things ALL DAY.  I know that's not very weird, but it's right before dinner, and I'm hungry.  And I would wash it all down with a La Mex margarita on the rocks.

6.  I have two HUGE moles on my neck - one on each side.  It makes me look like Frankenstein.  I used to be really self-conscious about it as a child, but they don't bother me anymore.  It just doesn't feel good when I catch one of them on something!

What is weird about you?  Come on, you can tell us.  We'll only point and laugh a little.

Is It Winter Yet?

Temperatures are falling in Minnesota and getting very close to the name of this blog. This morning is was -7 with a wind chill of -35 when I got out the snow blower at 6:15 am. Tonight's actual low is supposed to be -18. Brr!

The Perfect Sunday

I love wintertime, when it gets cold and you just stay cozy indoors.  (Please don't hold that first line against me when I claim to hate winter in January).  Today was the perfect mix of work and relaxation.  While Mitch and I both woke up early to see my mom off, he surfed the web while I took a three-hour nap on the couch.  After waking up and eating waffles, I watched a movie and Mitch got a roaring fire going in the fireplace, which heated the house quite nicely!  We need the heat, because it was raining, then turned to snow today, and the temperature is dropping quickly.  Tomorrow's high is something ridiculous like 2 degrees.  Awesome.  Anyway, we had some lunch, did more lounging and reading, wrapped some Christmas presents, did some treadmill work (can't forget about the Fatty-Fat Challenge in the midst of all the lounging!), watched some football and showered late in the afternoon.  We had dinner and now are lounging on the couches for the rest of the night.  Could it be a more perfect day? 

Holidazzle Parade in dowtown Minneapolis

Tina and Pokmom bundled up for the outdoor parade tonight. The floats and people are all lit up like the Electric Light Parade at Disney World!

A Little Extra Cash Flow

Today I secured a part-time job teaching piano lessons at the local music store.  I'll be working two nights a week and making some SERIOUS cash.  It's a beautiful thing!

The Toilet Seat

Ah yes, the age-old battle between men and women - to leave the seat up, or not?  In my house growing up the toilet seat was mostly put down by men after use (my dad was significantly outnumbered).  Since Mitch and I have been together he has always remembered to put the toilet seat down after using the toilet.  But today, I went into the bathroom at work (it's a unisex bathroom in the teacher's lounge), and the seat was up.  And this isn't the first time it's been left up.  For a while I thought I was just the first one to use that bathroom for the day, and the custodian had left it up after cleaning it.  This to me is an acceptable time to leave the toilet seat up.  But today I went in to use it at 11:00 (it was down), and then when I went in again at 12:30 after lunch, it was back up.  Is this appropriate office toilet usage?  And do you have problems with this at your work?  

The Day Thus Far - UPDATED

6:58am - phone rings.  Get out of bed, run my body under the shower to get to work by 7:25 in order to sub in 8th grade English. 

7:27am - arrive (late) to school, balancing coffee, computer bag, and crock pot (it was potluck day at work).  Rush to 8th grade classroom, where I will sub three more times throughout the day.

7:28am-2:30pm - Teach three sections of English, one study hall, and three music classes.  No prep.  Kicked one student out.  (But make an extra $112)

3:15pm - drinking a glass of wine, completely exhausted and wondering how on earth I ever managed to run two band rehearsals, teach History of Rock and Roll, do paperwork and planning, and stay at work until 9:00pm because of a football or basketball game.  And then do it every day for nine months.  

I've become a complete softie.  

4:30pm - Mitch comes home with some winter lagers.  I drink 2 1/2, then have dinner.

7:00pm - fast asleep on the couch after starting a movie.  

8:30pm - moved to the bed, out for the night.  

What a wimp I am.  I should be embarrassed.  

Kindergarten Winter Concert

Little Missy waves from the risers at tonights fabulous concert!

Ralphie in the Flesh - UPDATED!

On Monday I subbed in a 6th grade English classroom.  Sadly, they weren't learning anything nearly as interesting as sex ed, and instead we shared what they did over their Thanksgiving break.  This is something they do every Monday, and I was very impressed at how considerate and patient the students were as they waited their turn to speak, then listened to others tell their tales of food, movies, hockey, and sleeping.  And it took almost the whole period, which from a sub's perspective was even better.

The most interesting part of this classroom, however, was one little boy who sat in the very front row.  He honestly looked EXACTLY like Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" - blond hair, thick glasses, round face complete with chubby cheeks, looks like he's always in thought (I'm sure dreaming about b-b guns).          

After he gets done telling everyone his Thanksgiving story, we have a brief exchange:

Mrs. Tina:  You know, you remind me of someone.

Ralphie Look-Alike:  Yeah, who's that?

Mrs. Tina:  Have you ever seen the movie "A Christmas Story"?  

(whole class giggles)

Ralphie Look-Alike:  Yes, and people tell me I look like Ralphie all the time.  (Eye roll) 

(class is still laughing)

For the most part, Ralphie took it all in stride as I questioned him about his striking resemblance to the boy who hates Lifeboy soap, and it was obvious that the class had heard this a million times before, too.  I wish I could post a picture of him to the blog, but alas, that really wouldn't be ethical for me to walk into his class, snap a picture of him, then run off for the sake of the blog.  But I did think about it.  

On the same topic, I got a text-message from Winnie last night at 7:00, letting me know that "A Christmas Story" was on TNT.  If you know my family, you know we have one main tradition at Christmas - watch this movie as many times as possible when it runs for 24 continuous hours, and see who can recite the most lines by heart.  Even if we're not together, we make it a point to call (a lot) and send a quote through the phone.  And there are so many great quotable lines from the movie!  While Ralphie's lines are quite good ("Leave me alone, I'm thinking", and "Oh, Fudge - only I didn't say fudge, I said the f - dash - dash - dash word!"), and the Dad has some great zingers as well ("Fra-gile - it must be Italian!" and "This wine's not bad....it's not good, either."), the best lines have to go to little brother, Randy.  How can you not laugh hysterically when he says, "I can't put my arms down!" or "Hey guys, wait up!", or even "Daddy's gonna kill Ralphie!".  It's classic, I tell you.  If you can believe it, Mitch had never seen this movie before we started dating.  At first (and maybe even a little bit still now), he didn't like the movie.  I know, it's appalling.  After 9 Christmases together, it is finally growing on him. 

The realization I came to yesterday after Winnie's text message - we don't have cable.  So, not only do I not get to watch it at my house on Christmas morning as we open presents, but Mitch gently reminded me that his sister and her family (where we are spending Christmas day) do not have cable either.  So.....if anyone needs a gift idea for me, "A Christmas Story" would be something that I could enjoy on Christmas, and every other day of the year!

-------------------------------

GOOD NEWS!  I am now the proud owner of "A Christmas Story".  No need to worry about not watching it anymore.  Thanks Sal!

Happy Birthday Mrs!

We at Fifty Below Zero hope you have a great day, and don't feel as old as you really are.  (Sorry, but I have to get that dig in!)

Weekend Recap

Mitch and I returned to Illinois for the first time since July for Thanksgiving.  Here's the quick rundown of events:

Wednesday:  Picked Mitch up from work and drove the seven hours to my parent's house.  Stayed up to talk to Katie and Boston and meet their new beagle puppy Gus.  Got annoyed at Katie's "baby talk" to the dog.  

Thursday:  Turkey Day!  Sat around drinking coffee and waiting for dinner to be done.  Played with Gus.  Ate WAY too much food.  Drank a bottle of wine.  Played family games, including Trivial Pursuit (which Katie, Boston and I lost), Scattergories, and family favorite Clue.  Found out that Dad likes to use profanity when playing Scattergories and Boston chooses girly words to fill his blanks.  

Friday:  Got up for general loafing and breakfast.  Katie, Boston, and Gus leave.  Peace and quiet again.  I had lunch with former coworkers at La Mex, and Mitch met a former coworker for lunch at McDonalds.  I'd say I got the better end of the deal.  Met up with U of I friends in D-town, where we had dinner at the Hole and played Apples to Apples and Phase 10.  Watched our friends get EXTREMELY competitive (cough) Polly (cough).  Ate too much food and drink throughout the day.

Saturday:  Loafing time extended past lunch today, then we showered and visited my grandparents, the Mrs., the General, Shortcake and Punkin, and my grandpa.  Finally made it to Cin's for a reunion.  Ate Chinese food, drank chocolate martinis, and did a lot of giggling.  

Sunday:  Left Mom and Dad's around 9ish, right around the time it started snowing.  Drove home, which took us almost 9 hours to get home.  Wisconsin traffic sucks.  Got home to watch the Vikings/Bears game, but fell asleep on the couch during the 1st quarter.  Thank goodness I didn't have to watch that debauchery.  

Back to work on Monday.  While the trip was exhausting, and the drive was NOT fun, it was great to see my family and so many of our friends.  Back in a month for Christmas!

Black Friday at Menards

Good lord, this place is nuts!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We at Fifty Below Zero wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

A Major Crisis

After work today, I came home, surfed the web for a while, talked to my sister, then got on the treadmill for my long run.  An hour later, I went into the bathroom to check what Mitch calls my "Tina Red Face" (my face turns abnormally red when I work out, and stays that way for about an hour) and to admire the sweat rings on my shirt, almost like my badge of honor for the 4.5+ miles I logged today.  (I realize this is strange behavior, but it makes me feel good.  Don't ask why.)  I was feeling tired, but proud of my cardio accomplishment when I noticed it.

A gray hair.

It was on the left side of my head.  It was shorter than the rest of my hair, sticking straight up amongst the rest of my sweat-soaked hairs.  Begging to be noticed. 

I leaned closer, thinking that it was most certainly my imagination, or that the light must be hitting it wrong.  

It is definitely gray.

I'm making an appointment with my hair colorist tomorrow.  

Our Very-Long Home Improvement Project - A Picture Gallery

Mitch and I knew when we bought our house that the kitchen was probably the least attractive room.  While the previous owners had recently updated the appliances, floors, cabinet hardware, and countertops, the room still needed a lot of TLC.  Unfortunately, the kitchen is the most expensive to change, and so with a few hundred dollars we made a dramatic change in the room.  

Since we moved in, we have ripped out one cabinet, installed a microwave and smaller cabinet, sanded, primed, and painted the cabinets and doors, changed out all of the hardware on the cabinet doors, installed new shelves in the cabinets, and put up new homemade curtains.  Here's the pictures of our hard work.

The kitchen - when we bought the house.

Starting the project by removing the doors and unloading the cabinets.

Painting the cabinets, which took a VERY long time.
The cabinets, getting close to being finished.

Drilling the holes for the new handles in the cabinet door.

Sewing the curtains.

The finished product:

I, State Your Name

On Tuesday Mitch, his mom and I went to our fine state capital so that Mitch could take his official lawyer's oath.  Here he is in front of the state capitol building.

He also posed in front of the Minnesota Judicial Center, where he was sworn into the bar.
You'd hire him as your lawyer, wouldn't you?
We got there quite early so that Mitch could get signed in, and once his mom and I found a parking spot (what a snafu that was!), we waited patiently until we were let into the state appeals courtroom.  And it was fancy.

After waiting a while longer, and listening to court administrator talk and stall so that the judge could get there (the judge actually never made it; he was in a session dealing with the senate recount between Norm Coleman and Al Franken - I'm sure you've heard about it), the oath was administered.
He looks so professional!  The entire ceremony took about 20 minutes, and afterwards we were free to take pictures inside the chambers, and could even sit in the chief justice's chair!  While we were not brave enough to do that, Mitch did agree to have his picture taken next to the state flag.  
I was very excited to be in the courtroom, and felt that my Law & Order knowledge would have gotten me very far had I been in this courtroom arguing.  
We took a few more pics to commemorate the occasion.

Finally!  He's REALLY official now!  Anybody need a lawyer?

Random Thoughts

1.  It is freaking cold here today!

2.  Why do people say things that are supposed to be taken as helpful, but really mean it in a "you should have known that if you used to be a band director" way?  Just when I think I'm gaining a little bit of respect from a coworker.

3.  I wore a pair of jeans today that haven't fit since last winter.  Yep, I'm awesome.  

4.  I (accidentally) blew off a meeting with my principal today, regarding my performance at work.  Nice.  Thankfully, he was incredibly understanding and we re-scheduled for Monday afternoon.  I wrote it on the whiteboard in BIG, BOLD letters so I won't forget this time. 

5.  I have lots of things to blog about this weekend, including pictures of Mitch's oath ceremony, my concert last night, and why I can't stop singing Britney Spears songs.  Stay tuned!

You Haven't Lived Until....

.....you've subbed in a 7th grade health class on sex education day.  The male reproductive system, specifically.  In a mixed-group setting of 20 kids.  

Among the words said during my 50-minute stint:  penis, testes, vas deferens, bladder, urethra, semen, sperm, gonads, testicles, public hair, and a few I can't remember.  

Among the items put on the overhead:  definitions to the previously-mentioned words and a diagram of the male reproductive system.  

Some tidbits from the conversation:

Totally Serious Boy:  "What is the difference between the testes and the testicles?"

Mrs. Tina:  "Umm......(thinking)......I think the difference is that the testes produce, and the testicles housed.  But don't quote me on that - ask your teacher tomorrow."  (Embarrassed that she doesn't know the answer to that question)

------

Reading out loud in the book:  "Some problems that one could encounter with the male reproductive system include trauma.  Usually this is inflicted during sporting events."

Giggly Boy in the Corner:  "Oh, that's not good!"

Reading aloud, continued:  "This can be prevented by wearing a protective cup during athletic events."  

Giggly Boy and his Giggly Friend:  Nod understandingly.

------

Next Serious Boy:  "What's the difference between sperm and semen?"

Immature Boy:  "There's the same thing!"

Smart Girl:  "No they're not!"

Mrs. Tina:  "Well, the sperm makes up part of the semen."

Giggly Boy:  "Yeah, the sperm are like the tadpoles, remember?  With the really long tails."  Giggle.

Mrs. Tina:  "That's right!"

Immature Boy:  "Oh yeah, there's like a million tadpoles in the semen!"

Class Laughs.  

Mrs. Tina:  "Be quiet, and get back to labeling your picture."  (Looks at the clock to see that there are still 35 minutes of class left)

My Two New Boyfriends

I found two new men that Mitch will have to compete with for my love and attention.  The first one I discovered on Friday night - his name is Louis.  Louis Martini Cabernet, to be exact.  He seems to be the type of guy who might treat me bad at times, but I will continue to go back for more.  The other guy is Michael.  Michael Buble.  While I've enjoyed his smooth, crooner style for several years now, I just heard his version of "A Christmas Song" on the radio this afternoon.  (Yes, I was listening to Christmas music - it's on two stations in Minneapolis already)  He can wish me a Merry Christmas anytime!

Those Damn Fabric Stores....

As a child, my sisters and I were frequently dragged to fabric stores with our mother, who was always looking for the perfect material, pattern, or craft project.  (She mostly just loved the deals you can find at a fabric store).  She would spend hours looking through the store, investigating materials and comparing prices to see what she "needed" or "could use someday".  I HATED this as a kid.  There was nothing worse than going to these stores with her, because she would take FOREVER, and a kid can be entertained by looking through pattern books for only so long.  Because of these negative, traumatic experiences as a kid, I swore that I would never be interested in doing any sewing or crafting of any sort.  

Fast forward about twenty years - our house needs new kitchen curtains.  Buying curtains at the store is VERY expensive, especially when you are trying to find curtains to fit irregular bay windows.  So, I decided I could make the curtains.  In my youth, I (unwillingly) learned a variety of sewing skills, including working a sewing machine and sewing a hem.  Since I can do that, I figured I would be able to make these curtains.

Even though my sister Winnie laughed at me when I called her en route to JoAnn Fabrics (and called me "mom"), I bravely went into the store to find the perfect curtain materials.  I found a style I liked, bought the fabric (with a coupon from my mother-in-law - what a bargain!), and came home to work on them.  My mother-in-law also loaned me her sewing machine, and so once I figured out how to work it, I carefully measured my fabric, cut and hemmed, and finished two of the nine curtains to hang in our kitchen.

However, I found a flaw in my curtain design - from the outside, the curtains were ugly.  I needed to line them.  So, after calling my mom for advice (just to make sure I was going to do it correctly this time), I went to JoAnn Fabrics again this afternoon to purchase the liner material.

I should know better than to go to a craft superstore on a Saturday afternoon when the weather is cold, the fall decorations are on sale, and the newly-displayed holiday items were severely discounted already.  JoAnn Fabrics was a ZOO.  I waited five minutes for a parking spot.  Once I got in the store, maneuvered around the hundreds of patrons and found the right material (which took all of two minutes - sadly, I know this JoAnn Fabrics layout like I know the back of my hand), I got in line to have it cut.  Which took about 20 minutes.  There I stood, with other soccer-mom-types with the total mom jeans on, with babies and kids (I'm sure as equally enthused as I used to be as a kid) who were more than ready to get out of the store.  The moms' faces gave everything away - exhausted and HIGHLY annoyed that they were waiting in this long line.  The difference between today's wait in line and when I was a kid was that half the moms were on their cell phones bitching to their husband/sister/kid waiting to be picked up that the line at JoAnn's was going nowhere fast.  My favorite part was when a gentleman (with two young children) went right up to the cutting counter to get his material cut, not noticing that there was a long line of estrogen-filled women waiting not-so-patiently to have theirs cut as well.  The woman in front of me quickly snapped, "You have to wait to get that cut, you know.  And the line is long, and the end is over there (motioning to the end)".  He put the fabric back on the shelf and left. (I suppose I have Mom to thank for knowing correct fabric store etiquette.  I would not have wanted to be on the receiving end of that lashing.)

The ladies cutting the fabric were equally unhappy today, frazzled and tired and complaining of a lack of break time.  The woman who cut my fabric asked me seven times how many yards I needed.  I smiled and answered every time, hoping that I could help to make her job a little easier by not as a crabby as everyone else in the store was.  I got my five yards (that were 50% off - total score!) and headed for the check-out.

The check-out line was about twice as long as the fabric cutting line.  I kept entertained, however, by watching people walk up to check-out, notice the line, sigh loudly, and get in.  My favorite here was one guy who was there with his wife, who commented, "We had to wait in that long line to get the damn fabric cut, and now we have to wait in this one to check out?"  I'm sure that will be his last trip to JoAnn's.  Thankfully, all of the registers were open, and I got through the check-out fairly quickly.  I got back in the car, waited patiently to get out of the parking lot, and headed home.  The whole adventure took over an hour to get five yards of fabric.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I'm genuinely excited to make the rest of the curtains.  There's something fun about making something from scratch, without a pattern, to improve the look of your house.  And while I'm sure it will take me quite a while (and a little swearing) to get the curtains right, I'm confident they'll look great when I'm done.  So, thanks, Mom, for putting up with me when I just DID NOT want to be in the fabric store, and giving me the knowledge to make something on my own.  

But I'll never go back to JoAnn's on a Saturday.  The less I'm around crabby moms who are hungry for a discount, the better.  

Updating my resume

My ongoing job search is getting moved back up to the top of the priority list ASAP. Apparently, people in India work cheaper than those of us in the States so my entire department (1500+ people) is getting moved overseas in 2009. That means it could be anytime between tomorrow and 6 months from now that I no longer have a job, so I'm not going to sit around waiting for that to happen.

If you know anyone in the legal/banking/anyone-who-wants-to-hire-a-lawyer industries let me know!

Drink Up

The makers of the beer Fat Tire have created a seasonal winter brew for our enjoyment, and Mitch and I have decided that it can be the "official" winter beer of Fifty Below Zero.  We present - Two Below Ale.

Find some and drink it, and think of us here in the cold, rain, sleet, and snow.  And if you have any winter seasonals you can recommend, please let us know!

The Ugly Tree/Bush is Gone!

One of the eyesores in the yard (and there are many!) was a strange bush-like tree smack in the middle of the backyard.  We found out that it actually was a normal tree that was chopped off towards the top, then left.  So, the trunk started sprouting leaves, and made it look more like a bush.  Here's what it looked like when we bought the house.

(It's the bush-thingy to the left of the swingset)

It's weird.  And ugly.  So, on Sunday our brother-in-law Mr. Fix-It came over to help us with a couple more home improvement projects, one which was taking that tree out.  We knew Mr. Fix-It was excited, because he loves using his chainsaw.  You could see the gleam in his eye when he arrived!

Going....

Gone!!

Mr. Fix-It chopped it up in chunks, and it is now drying so that we can use the wood in our fireplace in a couple of years.  

So, if you're keeping score:  

• Ugly bushes that were too close to the house are gone. 
• Ugly tree that was in the backyard is gone.
• Leaves are STILL in the yard, even after bagging 60+ bags.  

Thanks, Mr. Fix-It!  I don't know what we would do without you!

It's Started......

This is what we woke up to this morning.

Here's to the start of winter!  (May it be not too snowy and not too cold!)

And yes, that is Mitch in his PokFarms jacket.  

Nice

Enjoying the Election Coverage

There's nothing better than watching the election coverage from the tub, enjoying a bubble bath and a glass (or half a bottle) of wine, with a tv set up in the bathroom.  

On my Soapbox for Just a Moment....

Today after work I spent some time making phone calls for my new school district.  See, tomorrow on the ballot they are asking for a renewal of the current tax levy, which would provide the district the money to operate as they have been for the last ten years.  It's not an increase (which they tried the last time and didn't pass), and won't raise anyone's taxes.  Yet people are trying to vote this down so that their taxes decrease.  They argue that since the economy is so terrible they want to save as much money as they can.  

If the tax levy doesn't pass, it means that the school district will lose $2.7 million a year,  which means cuts in sports, transportation, programs, and teachers.  

I can't imagine why anyone would NOT support their school referendums!  A school is the heart of towns, especially smaller towns like the one I work in.  Where is the town on Friday nights in the fall?  At a high school football game.  Who marches in local parades?  School bands.  Who donates countless hours of community service?  School groups.  And the list goes on and on.  Money for schools is an investment in the future of the town and in society.  We do a disservice to our kids when they don't have proper, updated materials, updated technology, and are in incredibly large classrooms.  

And while I'm certainly worried about how the students will suffer if the referendum doesn't pass, I'm also worried about my own job.  If the referendum doesn't pass, most likely there will be faculty cuts, and they always start with the subject matters that aren't "important", like the fine arts.  And, as I'm low man on the totem pole (again), I'll be the first to get the ax.  

So, when you vote tomorrow, make sure you vote "yes" for things that will improve your community, like school referendums.  You owe it to the kids.  

And now I step off my box.  

What we've been doing

Saturday/Sunday:

1. Raking leaves

2. Mowing leaves

3. Watching Illinois beat Iowa

4. Watching more leaves fall

5. Trip to the Mall of America

6. Sewing kitchen curtains (Tina)

7. Deciding that the kitchen cabinets would look better painted (Tina)

8. Trip to Home Depot

9. Emptying said cabinets, filling holes from old door and drawer handles, sanding cabinets in preparation for painting.



Today:

1. Work

2. Tina: making calls with fellow teachers about a school referendum on tomorrow's ballot

3. Mitch: mowing, raking, sanding door and drawers, taping cabinets

4. Avoiding TV commercials from Al Franken





News and Notes:



Dr. Martin is in Taiwan giving a talk on his research work. His thesis, Lithium Sputtering, Deposition and Evaporation: Controlled Thin Film Engineering is currently #2,625,514 on the Amazon bestseller list. Way to go Doctor!



Gas prices continue to fall in the Twin Cities. I filled up for $2.04 this weekend, plus I had gas coupons totaling 16 cents off per gallon. It only cost $20.88 to put 11 gallons in the Civic.

Happy Halloween from the Unseasonably-Warm Northland!

Help! I Need Ideas!

I really want to dress up for Halloween this year, but am totally uninspired as to what to dress up as.  So I need your help.  Here are my only criteria:

1.  It has to be school-appropriate.  (So the slutty nurse's costume that Mitch suggested is out.  Thanks honey.)

2.  It has to be fairly inexpensive.

3.  I would prefer it to be something I could use again.

Suggestions?

Too soon for Tina

It's snowing here right now!

My New Motivation

It's well-known that my two sisters and I like to argue, fight, pick on each other, and out-do one another, all to become "MVK", or Most Valuable Kid.  Winnie, the 2nd daughter, and I are closest in age, and when we're all together we typically gang up on our youngest sister, Katie, who is six years younger than I.  I can recall many a times where Winnie and I would torment Katie, many times to tears.  When we were younger, Katie would sing tunes from "The Sound of Music" after she'd been put to bed, and Winnie and I would giggle in our shared room, then belt out, "The hills are alive!" to make fun of her.  This usually resulted in her screaming and crying, and us laughing even harder.  It makes me laugh just thinking about it now.  That's just one example of the terrible things we did to her growing up.  Now as adults, it's even worse.  There was one particular holiday where Winnie and I were merciless to Katie.  While doing dishes, Winnie said something to Katie to make her mad, Katie charged towards Winnie, and Winnie stuck her foot out, which Katie promptly ran right into and fell to the floor, clutching her stomach and crying.  To top it off, Winnie doused her with a handful of flour, which made her cry even more.  Man, was it funny.  And while I can claim that I had no part in it, my role is usually as the instigator in these types of situations.  Winnie and I got in big trouble from Dad for that.  And yes, I know that's mean.  But it makes for a great story now.

Anyway, I think that one of the main problems that Katie and I have in our loving, sisterly relationship is that we're the same person, and she feels like she needs to one-up me every chance she gets.  And she usually does.  We look alike and talk alike.  We both graduated at the top of our high school classes (she as valedictorian, I as salutatorian).  We both went to the U of I and were in the Marching Illini.  (She of course, graduated Bronze Tablet, which means she had one of the highest GPAs in her major.  I did not.)  She met and started dating her future husband, Boston, her junior year of college, just like Mitch and I did.  Boston, by the way, is the same person as Mitch - similar looks, similar family background, similar personalities.  She and Boston married one year out of college like Mitch and I.  And now, she and Boston have bought a townhouse right after they got married, just like we did.  It's actually quite scary how similar our lives are.  

One of the things that Katie is also doing like I did is putting on weight after college.  While it's really just mean, Winnie, Katie, and I have always affectionately called each other "Fatty-Fat".  Why and where it came from, I really can't remember.  See, Winnie had been the pudgy one of the group - she was stocky when she was little, and really packed on the pounds when in college.  Katie and I were always a little slimmer growing up, and made sure to not put on too much weight during school.  However, the tables have shifted - Winnie, after a few life-changing moments at ISU, got her act together and dropped a ton of weight, which she has managed to keep off for a very long time.  She looks fantastic now, and in true sisterly fashion I just hate her for it.  After Mitch and I got married, I steadily put on weight.  I blame most of it on my profession - always busy, never time to work out, blah, blah, blah.  I could give you a million excuses as to why my midsection and ass are significantly larger than they used to be.  Now that I'm nearing 30 (when did that happen?), I am becoming afraid that if I don't take care of it now, I never will.  Since we moved to MN, I have lost ten pounds.  A good start.

When talking to Katie on the phone the other day, she was complaining about how much weight she has put on since graduating from college.  While she was conscious of it for her profession - she was on TV every day - now that she has changed jobs, she has relaxed her eating and working out habits.  And it's showing.  So, as she is talking about how she's so fat, and has to get to the gym, and how she needs to do this and that, I thought of a brilliant plan.

I am one that needs some sort of motivation to make things happen.  I've been inspired in part by The Mrs.' weight-loss blog, although I am not doing so well in the weight-loss competition there.  So, I challenged Katie to an Ultimate Fatty-Fat Challenge.  

The Ultimate Fatty-Fat Challenge operates like this:  whoever loses the biggest percentage of her body weight by Christmas wins.  The loser will forever be the Ultimate Fatty-Fat.  AND, whoever loses must endure as many insults, put-downs and harassments as the other can dish out.  Mean, yes.  Effective, yes!  Now, we've kept Winnie out of the competition for two reasons - 1, she doesn't want to play, and 2, she'd definitely win.  Her willpower is incredible.  

I am determined to beat Katie.  I DO NOT want to be the Ultimate Fatty-Fat.  So, to help motivate me to work out, (and because we've been talking about buying one for a long time), Mitch and I bought a treadmill.

It's a thing of beauty.  It was delivered today by the lovely guys at Sports Authority, and it got its inaugural ride this afternoon.  This will be the tool that helps me beat Katie.  I plan on putting her picture right in front of the treadmill, pushing me to go that extra minute, that extra mile more, in order to kick her ass this Christmas.

Take that, Katie.  See you in December. 

"Don't you mess with Ms. Tina!"

Teaching License Update:

State:  1

Tina:  1

Got a call today from the state saying that they would certify me in vocal music.  Thank goodness!  

Now all I have to do is take all of their stupid tests.  

(Quote in the title is from one of my students in Florida, Katrina, who said this in a total Southern-attitude after I disciplined a student.  It was great.  How I do miss those Southern accents......)

My First Reason to Hate Minnesota

Well, I'm sure by the title my mother is all ears now.  

Right as Mitch and I were moving out of our in-laws and into our new house, my Minnesota teaching license came in the mail.  For those who aren't in the education world, one must have a teaching license in order to work.  Usually, it's not a big deal to get one - you go to college, take some tests, student teach, and like magic, your certificate comes in the mail.  There are all kinds of certificates - K-5, K-8, 6-12, specialty, special ed - the list goes on and on.  In Illinois, they are labeled by Types - I hold a Type 10 certificate - special - and I am certified to teach K-12 music (band, choral, general music) as so deemed by my undergraduate program, the esteemed University of Illinois.  Typically, teaching certificates last 5 years, then you must re-certify them through coursework, master's degree, or other continuing education classes.

When one decides to move into a different state, one must become certified to teach in that state.  When we moved to Florida, I simply mailed the state my current license, transcripts, etc., and Wha-la! - my certificate appeared in the mail.  No muss, no fuss.  Certified to teach K-12 Music, just as in Illinois, for five years. 

However.....

When we decided we were moving to the northlands (which are getting progressively colder every day), I got online, researched the requirements to obtain my MN license, sent in the proper paperwork and my money to process, and figured they'd spit back a license.  Well, they mailed me one.  And I'm not happy.

My MN teaching license is listed as K-12.  OK, so far, so good.  I'm only certified to teach, though, instrumental music and classroom music.  No vocal music.  Which is what I'm teaching right now.  I should mention, too, that I've not only been certified to teach this before, but I've actually taught it.  So I'm not actually legal to be teaching what I am.  Great.

Next major issue:  this certificate is only a year-long certificate.  Why?  Because I have many other "requirements" I must meet to become certified again for next year.  Those requirements include:

• taking a class to complete my "Minnesota human relations" requirement.
• Taking the Pre-Professional Skills Test.
• Taking the Principles of Learning and Teaching Test.
• Taking the Subject Matter Test.

Have I mentioned that I took those tests eight years ago before I started teaching?  And passed them all?  

Oh yeah, and did I mention that I have a master's degree?!?!?!

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, after really looking at this certificate and figuring that the state must have made a mistake, I calmly called the licensing office and talked to a very nice lady who helped me out and explained everything to me.  She told me that Illinois and Minnesota have no reciprocity between them when it comes to education, and that if I wanted to become certified in vocal music, I'd either have to take coursework (undergraduate, I'm sure) to become certified or petition with a portfolio proving I'm qualified to teach choir.  

Score one for the state.

She also told me that I indeed did have to take all of the tests again, as the ones they use here in MN are different than those in Illinois, and again, they have no reciprocity.

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!?!?!?!

And, that since I'm technically not legal to teach what I'm currently teaching, my district will have to petition to the state so that I can continue to teach while proving that I am working to become certified for next year.  

Now, she did tell me that she'd talk to her supervisor regarding my case, but that I'd most likely need to jump through the hoops.  

So.

This year, I'll be shelling out almost $200 to take tests that I've already taken and passed.  

I'll take classes (who knows how much that will cost) to become certified in something that I've been certified to teach for eight years.  

And don't forget about my "human relations" class, which will also cost me money.  Clearly, I don't know how to relate to humans in the classroom.  I've never done it before.

Oh, wait.  I have.  I've taught over 200 students each year for the last seven years.

Can you tell I am beyond pissed?  Because I am. 

Stupid Minnesota. 

I gotta go.  It's beer-thirty, and I need a drink.  Or seven.

A Day with her Grandma & Auntie K

On Thursday, Lil' Missy, Grandma M and I spent the day together, since Grandma M was watching Lil' Missy and I was off work.  We started our day at one of the many apple orchards in the area.  

We started out just exploring the area, as there were lots of things to do and look at.  There were lots of cut-outs for the kids, a petting zoo, horse and pony rides, a corn maze, pumpkins, an old-fashioned apple peeler/corer, apple tastings, a store and bakery, and of course, apples.  
After a run-around and a lot of "I want to do that!", we boarded the wagon to go to the orchard.
We had a good time filling our two bags, and Lil' Missy did a great job of finding good apples, although many of the lower ones were picked off.  I ended up climbing into a couple of trees to get the best apples towards the top.  I'm sure it was quite a sight, and am glad that I had my camera in my pocket so that no one could snap pictures of that.

It didn't take long to fill up our bags and head back to the pick-up wagon, which Lil' Missy claimed was her favorite part of the entire day.  She got a quick education on which tractors were the best ones (ALWAYS the green ones, NEVER the red ones).  
Lil' Missy waited patiently while Grandma M and I paid for and loaded our apples, then headed over for her pony ride.  She did a great job of holding on, and shouted a "Gracias!" to the kind man who helped her on and off the pony.
We ended the morning with a snack - fresh apple cinnamon donuts.  Oh, they were delicious.  
Afterwards, we headed for lunch.  Where would her favorite Grandma and Auntie take her?  Chuck-E-Cheese, of course!  I didn't snap any pics while I was there, because I was afraid to bring home all of the germs on my camera.  What a hotbed of bacteria that place is.  Lil' Missy, of course, was in her element, as she enjoyed running from game to game, plunking in her coins and collecting her tickets so she could purchase an Air Head and stickers when we left.  (Load her up with more sugar, is what I always say.)  The place was overflowing with kids, as everyone was off school, and I was relieved when the coins ran out and it was time to go.  I also was afraid the bad pizza was going to make me sick.  As soon as we got back to the house, the first thing I did was wash my hands.  Gross.  

What a fun day!