Snow Day!

Ellie wasn't too sure about the snow, which I'm sorry isn't visible in the photo.

Thank goodness school didn't get canceled, otherwise we would have lost a day from our Mardi Gras break.

The Big Tree

Finally.. The big tree is decorated.  I hung at least 450 ornaments today.  The photos don't do it justice.  The flash washed out all of the pretty lights.  Yall will just have to come over for a visit so you can see it in person.

Everybody Thought They Were Ours!

I got a phone call on Sunday afternoon about these two boxers, one brindle and one fawn, roaming around in the neighborhood behind ours.  I quickly checked to see if my girls were inside, which they were, and told the girl on the phone that they weren't my dogs.  

A few hours later our door bell rang.  It was a man from down the street with two boxers in tow.  Both were male and obviously less than a year old.  He thought they were ours as well.  By this time it was starting to get dark, so Derek and I decided to take them in for the night and try to find the owners in the morning.  

We brought them to the back yard and then let our girls out.  All four of the dogs were playing together.  Ellie did have to put them in their place a few times.  She is the boss you know.  Of course I had to give them names... Rocky and Bruno.

After I got home from school the next day, I phoned the vet here in town and got the number for the owners.  These two little boys were back with their family by 5p.m.  Their real names were Walker and Saint.

Christmas Card Photo Shoot

Not wanting to have the same photo as last year, I opted not to tie ribbons around the girls' necks.  It would have been the same exact ribbon as last year, and it would have been very difficult to do without Derek's help.  Most of the photos ended up looking like regular back yard photos, and I was a little disappointed.

This first photo was a strong contender, but was lacking in personality, unlike last year's winning photo.
The second photo was one of the rejects.  There was a ton of chop-licking because I was bribing them to sit and stay with chicken jerky.  In most of these the girls looked like zombie-robot dogs, very intense and focused but again, lacking personality.
The winner will be posted closer to Christmas.  

Till then, happy decorating!  As you can see, I've already started.  Don't tell anyone.

Helping Mamma

Earlier today I was working on writing a test on fossils and early Earth history.  These two just had to help me.

Pop Quiz:  During which era were dinosaurs the dominant life form?

a.  Cenozoic

b.  Mesozoic

c.  Paleozoic

Happy Halloween!

Second Best

It has been a little too chilly to have our morning coffee outside this week, so the big bed is the second best place for coffee.  It might soon become the girls' first choice though.  Look how comfortable and cozy these little boogers are.  I haven't wanted to get up and go to work because they have been so snuggly.

Pretty Girls

Out with Kat and Chris

After conquering trivia at Buffalo Wild Wings, we decided we needed more entertainment... on to karaoke at the Stone Pony!!!

Out with Megan

I was so happy I had a chance to see Megan before she went back to Australia.  I really miss having my good friends close by.  Maybe I'll get a chance to go see her one day.  Perth sounds very nice.

Fun in the Back Yard

Dog wrangler extraordinaire!

We Love the Swing!

Crazy Hair Day at School

Marie Antoinette + 60's Mod = Polygamy Cult Hair!!!!  

Under the Covers

Daisy has been very snuggly lately.  She is always wanting to be under something, which is weird because it hasn't been even remotely cold here.  

My Classroom

There isn't a whole lot that anybody can do to make a classroom with no windows cheery.  I have done the best with what I have though.  Bright, colorful bulletin boards and fake plants really help out.Don't ask what's in the big, yellow cabinet marked "Flammable."  I haven't found the key that unlocks it yet.
My extra computer will stay covered until the end of hurricane season.  The students don't use it anyway.  We will be going to the computer lab some, and everyone will have their own computer to use.

In the spring all of the orange paper will come down, and I'll put up something blue and airy.  I'll be teaching weather, climate, and oceanography then.

Silly Girl

Last night after everyone had settled down, I noticed that Daisy had somehow fallen asleep underneath a back cushion of the couch.  I crept upstairs to get my camera, but by the time I came back down, she had woken up.  These girls do very funny things every now and then.  

A Thirsty Lizard

Evacuating!!!

We decided to leave Louisiana around 5:30 on Saturday afternoon. All of our junk left just enough room in the back of the Jeep for the little girls. They looked out the back window most of the time at the other evacuees. Traffic on I-59 was very heavy, but moving well at 60-70mph. Once we made it to Hattiesburg, the traffic was almost nonexistent. Hopefully I won't be posting any Gustav damage photos from my house.

New Curtains

I have finally put up curtains in the dining room.  The fabric that I chose has a tree silhouette, and I absolutely love it.  The bottoms still need to be hemmed, but that can be done later.  I'm hoping now that these are up my electric bill will be lower.  The curtains are much thicker than the sheet that was in the window.

Only 14 more windows to go!

Making Progress

I hung the swing up this afternoon.  I thought I was finished painting, but after I got it up, I noticed some spots that need touching up.  I'm looking forward to my first cup of coffee out there in the morning.  

Enjoying the Back Yard

I wonder if there are olympic dog games.  These two would take the gold in synchronized movement.  There are a few other things that I won't mention that they do in unison.

The Arbor Is Up!

I have only planted a few things around the arbor so far.  There are banana trees in the corner along with a couple of philodendrons.  Also, I have planted some yellow jasmine to grow up the side.  The next phase of this project will be sanding and painting the swing, then I'll move on to the brick patio underneath the swing and eventually more plants.   I can't wait to enjoy my coffee out there.

More Peanut Butter Feet

I should have posted these a long time ago.  

These girls LOVE peanut butter feet, especially when there are twice as many feet to lick.

I think mom really enjoyed it.

Frogs

The other night there were several frogs on our back porch, but what's new.  These little frogs have been very vocal lately, especially when it rains.  Derek and I really have enjoyed watching them catch bugs at night.

Okay, so this is a rubber snake, but he does live in a puddle our back yard.  I'm a little surprised that I haven't seen a real snake in the back yard given all of the snake food we have hopping around.