Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Enabler

I have a friend at school named Kyle. We started in the same co-hort and have had a class together almost every semester. He is fun (I define fun as someone who can swap movie quotes and he occassionally wears a shirt that says Muggle). Over the course of our 2 years knowing each other he has made many comments about my eating habits. He thinks it is funny when I tear my tortillas in exact quarters before folding each quarter in half and eating them. And Kyle has been the beneficiary of many an odd m&m when my colors don't come out even.

A couple of weeks ago I took him a pair of cute, pink baby girl tennis shoes for his cute little baby nugget. Well, tonight when I got to class he presented me with the following (Athena, brace yourself):


That my friends, would be five bags of peanut m&ms each sorted to have even numbers in each bag.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Our Victory Garden

Those of you who remember the first few years we spent in our adorable little fixer-upper will likely recall that the yard and garden areas were, well, abysmal. They were overrun with morning glory and we had dead trees all over the back yard. We have worked very hard on these little spots and while there is still much work to be done, I am happy to report that this year, after four years of progressively increasing success with flowers, veggies and fruits, we have accomplished what I once believed to be the impossible: Realistic planting plans for every square inch of dirt.


And we are just in time! Apparently, gardening is all the rage this year - with the gigantic turd we call an economy, everyone is trying to save a couple of pennies. I was uber-excited when I saw this in the news. I don't look nearly as stylish or put together when I garden as Mrs. Obama does, but I admire her boots.


Back to us. This year we are trying to do everything from seeds, with a full-on start garden in the kitchen. Bask in its glory:


If you're curious, that's 82 cells, each with two seeds germinating. The list includes 3 varieties of tomato, cucumber, squash, onions, radishes, pumpkin, watermelon, cantaloupe, peas, beans, carrots, and corn (for later). We are enjoying watching new seedlings pop up and grow. Mr. Eris and I are fighting each other to be the first to spot each new one as it appears, which means we have to check hourly.

Yay for gardens!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Chad

Littlest Ms. Eris has an imaginary friend. His name is Chad. He is 3. He ate dinner with us tonight. He had a plate with gravy on it. Then we sent him home because Littlest wouldn't eat her dinner.

I'll let you know if he comes to church with us tomorrow.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Winter Layer

I have registered for my first tri of the season. It's going to take a lot of work, because currently:

My jeans are tighter.

My skin is bulging out of the openings in my swimsuit.

My bra is a little full.

It's time to get back on the horse.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Taking After Mom

Last week I took Littlest Ms. Eris to SLC for a meeting I had on my day off. Littlest loves to ride the trains so she was very excited. All the way down she played with puzzles and asked tons of questions. We went to my meeting and then we walked back to the train. On the Trax ride she started looking out the window trying to tell me what colors and shapes she saw.

Then it got quiet....

Mysteriously quiet....

Almost an eery quiet....

It was too quiet....

I have never seen her so quiet....

What could she possibly be looking at that would have her so enthralled....

Hmmmm.... maybe I should check on her....










Seriously. Try and tell me that isn't the cutest thing you have ever seen - I dare you.

Monday, March 09, 2009

The Gap, Part Deux

I suspect the internet has ruined teaching. Before you go all nutsy defending the relative ease with which students can find useful information, the convenience of email for student-teacher (and even parent) communication, and all that other crap - save it. I have heard it before. And I am a fan of all those things, not to mention the vast wealth of entertaining and useful clips available on youtube and hulu for me to include in my lectures.

I stand by my statement: The internet has ruined teaching. My students, the same ones who expect that they start with an A, now expect me to put a study guide up on webct and post their speaking schedule (which they signed up for!) online. Apparently they believe it's so easy to put it on webct that they no longer have any responsibility to remember vital information. And I'm not even going to start about the geniuses who cheat by pasting an entire webpage into their papers (see how I sneaked that in there even though I said I wouldn't?).

What would have happened six years ago, before the internet made its debut on college campuses, if these students lost their speaking order? I'll tell you what: The Duchess would have told me to ask another student in the class and left it at that (true story). And do you know why? Because she recognized I was a grown up and it wasn't her job to babysit me.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Breakfast of Champions

I took a later train this morning so that at 5 am Little Mr. Eris and I could eat Cheerios.

He. Is. So. Cute.