Bathroom shower

As you may already know, I have been dealing with this severe sprained ankle for about a month now. One of the adjustments has been taking baths and showers. I had to start taking showers downstairs because step and then stepping into the upstairs shower was very painful. So, we are lucky to have a walk-in shower downstairs. It has a great shower head that has wonderful presssure. Now I am hooked on the downstair shower. People have told me how great it was, but I have just showered upstairs most of the time because my clothes are up there.

Anyway, I started researching other shower components for the upstair shower. Hopefully I will get out of the walking boot soon and can use both showers. However, I still want to replace the one upstairs. Not only did I find several that I liked, I found that you can get a heated towel rack. This would be wonderful to have. Think I will add it to my Christmas Wish List!

Rescue Dogs

Thirteen Things about our Rescue Dog We rescued her one year ago from http://www.shepherdrescue.org/ Her name was Buttons but we changed it to Kodi She is afraid of men, especially tall men She is afraid of sudden noise She is afraid of sudden movement She knows all the basic commands She is very well behaved She stays in the yard, no fence She carries a toy in her mouth all the time. 10.She can tell time, no joke, she knows when its bed time! 11. She loves playing in the snow with "Bug" 12. She is a great addition to our family! 13. If you ever want a dog, visit rescue, they have great dogs who need your love. WE just love KODI.

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Same Sex Classes??

We have a new principal this year and the talk has been about making our school a "speciality school". This is not unusual in our area. Our school is VERY diverse to start with. I think we have kids from 28 different countries and going down the halls, you have the feeling of being in the "United Nations Building" instead of a middle school. Our ESOL population has about doubled this year also.

Anyway, I have been doing alot of thinking about "same sex" classes and think it would be great for our school. Middle school kids are NOT what they use to be. It amazes how much PDA, (public display of affection) goes on. The kids can't go down the hall without hugging, doesn't matter whom, they just hug, girls to girls, girls to boys, boys to boys, just hug! They flirt all the time in class, worry too much about how they look, wear inappropriate clothes. I have never seen so much cleveage in all my life!

From what I have been reading, studies show that students do better in class, pay attention, less distruptive and test better, when only with the same gender.

So, what do you think?

WILBUR BUDS!!!!! yum YUM

In Pa. there is a small quaint town named Lititz. It is located right outside Lancaster. I love this place, not only because one of my sisters live there, who just happens to be my best friend, but because it is a great place to live.

In the middle of town there is a park and one of those circles that you go around. If you go to the right on the circle, you can get to the Pretzel factory and if you stay straight you can go to Wilbur Chocolate. The town actually smells like chocolate on some days! Anyway, since my kids were little, we would go visit and go to the pretzel factory and of course get chocolate.

They have lots of great things in the store but the thing I really love is called Wilbur Buds. They are small pieces of chocolate that looks like a bud. You can get dark or milk chocolate. It basically melts in your mouth!

So, I always get boxes of Buds and give them to co-workers and family and everyone always wants more. This year I am actually taking a co-worker from England to Lititz to not only get chocolate and pretzels, but to see how the Amish live. Yes, they do have horse and buggy there and they hitch up at the great farmers market/grocery store. Great place to visit.

Ask Baggage about her adventures to Lititz and her love for Buds!

Comforting Foods

Thirteen FOODS that make ME feel GOOD(Can you tell what kind of mood I am in? Warm chocolate chip cookiesOatmeal with brown sugar and butterChocolate Ice CreamBaked sweet potatoesWatermelonHot, freshly buttered popcornRedskin Chili with cheeseCornbreadPancakes with apple butterWendy's FrostyCheddar Potato ChipsWilbur budsSunday morning Omlets made by hubby!

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Friday the 13th

My students get crazy about having to take a test on the 13th and not to mention its the 13th of October! Anyway, either they know the material or they don't and after reading the test to them, I don't think many of them know the material. Middle school is tough! The kids are in between the fun cut and paste, field trips and walking in a straight quiet line down the hall to being swamped with homework, loud crowded halls and not quite sure what they are doing in life. These kids "go with" and "dump" each other all the time. They have more PDA (public display of affection) than I have ever seen. They can't go from class to class without hugging! Yes, its against the rules!

Anyway, the day followed by me reading about Baggage and her blog and parenting skills, along with researching information about training a service dog. I know this blog must be boring also, but who cares, its for me.

The highlight of the day was the call from Bug about how well she did on her testing and how much she has improved. I remember the first time I took her to Borders and she wanted to get preprimer type books. Of course I led her to the chapter books. Now the child reads all the time, just like her Mom. I am very proud of both Bug and her Mom for doing such a great job this past year and I know Bug will enjoy her new school.

Oh, YES, I am working on the princess outfit. Now Bug said she thinks sequents would be pretty. I think I will mail them to her along with the dress and let them put them on!!

Hope everyone can enjoy the weekend, the snow in Buffalo (Hi Chuck) and the beautiful changing colors here on the East Coast!

Thirteen COOL THINGS ABOUT BEING THE "NANA" OF AN OLDER CHILD She could TALK from the beginning. She didn't need to be POTTY TRAINED She FEEDS herself She can DRESS herself You can take her shopping and hear, "THAT'S NOT MY STYLE" She send me EMAILS You can teach her to COOK and SEW She can WALK the DOG Say says, very loudly, "NANA"!! She can pick up the phone and CALL me. She can do CHORES She gives me a t-shirt that says, "THIS NANA BELONGS TO BUG"! SHE LOVES ME!!

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Rough Week

So I have been trying to work at school, staying out of the halls with all the middle school kids and using my chair to move around the classroom. It has NOT been easy. Then trying to use the crutches to hobble down the hall to get to the rest room, and of course, another teacher is in there!

Then its everyone asking "what happened" and I keep saying that so and so kicked me or something. Even said to one person that I feel trying to ski! Haha, I have never been on skies! It sound so much better than saying I sprained my ankle carrying laundry!

On top of the ankle issue, I have not been to the the grocery store in almost two weeks, my husband has been going, doing a good job, but he only gets exactly what is on the list. Well, I have not done a great job and putting the "list" together. I only put the thing we run out of, not the things I need to make a certain meal. Like I made "redskin chili" for the game last Sunday, but then didn't have cornbread or biscuits. I would of just picked them up when I shopped, but he didn't know we needed them. Anyway, meals have been interesting.

We also got a new assistant principal at school, a new SPED teacher and I know my schedule is going to change. I just like it the way it is now and am concerned about what the changes will be.

And then there are a few family issues. My mom is still adjusting to my stepdad dying and one of my brothers is having some legal problems. Also "Baggage" is going through a tough time and I don't live close to her to really "be there" for her.

One good thing is that my followup mammogram is ok. They did 5 views today and my doctor was acting weird but she said "we will continue to keep an eye on this", come back in six months.

So, hopefully next week will be better.
Keep everyone in your thoughts and prayers.

Thirteen Reasons for already starting your holiday shopping!!!!!!(before Halloween) You are one of ten children You have 3 bio and 3 step children Your 6 children all have S. O. You have a very special grand daughter You have 28 neices and nephews Your work does "secret santa" Your coworkers exchange "token" gifts You have to get packages in the mail early You can find what you want You don't have to stand in long lines You can buy online and still have time for delivery You have a "hubby" who is difficult to buy for YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE IS SOME MONEY LEFT IN DECEMBER SO YOU CAN GET SOME PRESENTS! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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